The Last Adventure
by WeWriteSins
Summary: Arthur is a historian; Alfred is his son. AU/Beauty and the Beast. On their last adventure, Arthur and Alfred explore rural parts of Russia. When Arthur stumbles upon a large manor things take a drastic turn. Future lemon. Join us on our adventure.
1. Prologue

Hello, fellow fanfiction readers and writers!

Welcome to our story. My sister and I have decided to collaborate on this AU for Hetalia. We count this chapter as the prologue, which is why it's on the short side. It's mainly inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Yes, we know it's been done before, but we've added a few twists and turns. ;) This is predominately a RussiaxAmerica fiction but there will be more pairings as we go along~ Anyways, we'll just go ahead and set the rating to M for the later chapters. We hope you enjoy! Reviews would be greatly appreciated because we love constructive criticism.

-Bee [xkuroikittiex] & Jay [credulousdame].

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><p>It was a cool, crisp Wednesday morning in England, where Arthur Kirkland was sitting at his kitchen table, enjoying his famous green tea while reading the paper. The other day, an old colleague of his had mentioned something interesting in Russia. No questions asked. Arthur was eager to go exploring. He had already booked the tickets for him and his son the previous night. Now, all he had to do was break the news to Alfred.<p>

_I wonder how he'll take the news... When we visited America last, he gave a fight when it came time to leave…_

Placing his tea cup in the sink, Arthur made his way out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards Al's room. Arthur knocked lightly on the door and briefly waited before entering the room. Looking in, he saw his son lying on the bed, drawing comics. Alfred hadn't heard him knocking because he was listening to music with his favorite Captain America headphones. Arthur loved how creative and passionate Al was about what he loved. Inching forward, Arthur stood behind him while peeking over his shoulder to see the artwork. After a few minutes Arthur lightly tapped Al on the shoulder. The teenager let out a little breath of surprise and then turned to face his dad.

"Shit! Dad what're you doing?" He asked twisting around with a look of slight horror. He tried to calm his heart that seemed to thud unnaturally harsh within his chest.

He sat up on the bed and gazed at the bright blond with bushy eyebrows and couldn't help but feel a small smile slip onto his lips. Pausing his iPod and sliding his headphones so they rested at his neck he waited for the answer.

"Alfred Jones! I'll have no vulgarity in my house!" He said pointing an accusing finger at his son and trying to give a disapproving glare. But even as he said he started to smile to himself. They both knew he couldn't really be mad at his little Alfred. "Well, never mind that mouth of yours. I have news for you!" Alfred smirked as listened to the routine mini-lecture his dad always gave him when he did something ungentlemanly. "News?" He asked almost to himself. Maybe they were getting a puppy like he had always wanted.

"Starting the day after tomorrow, we will be venturing into the outskirts of Russia in search of historical treasures!" But Arthur always went on and on about how dogs drool and didn't travel well and-Did Arthur just say Russia?

"Russia? _Russia?_ The _commie_ place? You want...To go...To _Russia?_ Dad what the hell? We just moved here a few months ago! C'mon that's not even right! Egypt? _Okay_. Africa? A little risky but _fine. _But _Russia?_ Where its cold as shit the whole year and they write in symbols? I'm not going!" He yelled, glaring at the man in front of him.

Arthur let out a long sigh. Something told him his son was going to give him trouble about this. "Oh stop your nonsense. You used to love going everywhere when you were younger. It didn't even matter where we went…you loved travelling with me. And _what _is so bad about Russia? Sure it's a little on the chilly side but so was Scotland…and as I recall…you rather enjoyed our stay there! And what's this senseless prattle about moving, Alfred? No one said we were _moving_, don't be such a little prat. I swear…sometimes you are insufferable. No isn't an option, Alfred. We. Are. Going. It's finalized. Get your bags packed and ready. You should have enough things tucked away for three weeks at the least. Now get ready."

Arthur hating being so cruel with his little Al, but this was one of those times that called for him to step up and be a father. Just because his son was nearing his eighteenth birthday didn't mean he could tell talk to him in such a manner. As he started out of the room, he glanced over his shoulder, hoping he hadn't hurt his son's feelings too much.

Alfred felt his lip quiver and his eyes mist in anger and frustration. This _always _happened. It would start out a trip and then it'd end up with packing their stuff up and moving to wherever. "Whatever." He practically spat at his father. Once Arthur left the room Alfred grabbed one of his many suitcases and opened it up. He began to shovel his warmer clothes into it, having one case for daily clothes, another for night, and a final for miscellaneous (mainly games and comics). They had been doing this since he was a kid so he knew how to pack right.

After he was finished he was glaring at the wall, headphones blaring music with loud guitars and an even louder singer. With a grunt he flopped onto his pillow and clutched it closely. He already missed his home and he hadn't stepped out of it yet. This wasn't fair, it was _never_ fair. He never had a say in this kind of stuff. He wasn't hungry like he usually would be around this time. Instead he curled into his covers and whined pathetically to himself.

Unknowingly, Arthur stayed outside of Alfred's door, listening to his son throw a fit in the room. He thought this would be a great life for the both of them. Getting to see the world, learn about different cultures, and have fun doing it. Just him and his little boy. He knew now that Alfred didn't feel the same way. Maybe this life wasn't the best he could have chosen. Thinking a little harder on the situation, Arthur made up his mind that this trip would be the last. After this, he and Alfred would permanently settle down wherever Alfred chose. Making up his mind, Arthur tried opening the door only to find it locked. Feeling hurt, Arthur spoke through the door, not knowing he couldn't be heard.

"Alfred…I... I assumed you thought highly of this lifestyle, as I do. It seems that I was wrong. I never meant to disappoint you. This will be the last time, okay? I love you, Alfred….never forget that." Arthur turned away from the door and headed to his own room to get ready for what he thought was going to be a fun adventure with his son.

_Fun my arse…_


	2. And the Adventure Begins

Hey there. :)  
>Thanks for the reviewsalerts~!  
>We really appreciate it.<p>

Enjoy~

-Bee & Jay

**DISCLAIMER: We do not own anything save for our creative writing and ideas. **

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><p>For the most part, Thursday was just miserable for Arthur. With all the tension between the two, Arthur thought it would be best just to leave Alfred alone for the day. He went about his daily things, as usual, but knowing that things weren't right with his son put a damper on his mood.<p>

_If I don't talk to someone about this, I'll go mad..OH! I know! I'll just talk this little matter over with flying mint bunny! Then I could invite the faeries over and we could have a tea party! Perhaps Captain Hook could make it too… I'll just have to remember to have Tinker Bell sit next to me... Right! I should get that started._

And that is how Arthur kept himself busy for most of the day...

On the other hand Alfred spent most of his day moping around his room. A permanent pout stuck on his face he IMed his friend in Japan, Kiku Honda. The two had met on a pen pal website for cultural exchange. Alfred bit his lip as he type vehemently.

_**Alfred**__ said: Goddddd. This sucks so much man! Kiku-chaaaaan can I live with you?_

_**Kiku**__ said: Alfred, you insisted that we were to drop honorifics so please stop adding them to my name. Also no, you cannot live with me all the way in japan. You don't even speak it._

_**Alfred**__ said: Oh cmon. I can pick up a phrase book. _

_**Alfred **__said: And I picked up some from anime._

_**Kiku**__ said: You can't be serious. A lot of people would like to go to Russia, just dress warmly and you'll be out of there in no time._

_**Alfred**__ said: BUT KIKU! COMMIES ARE THERE!_

_**Kiku**__ said: Alfred you'll be fine. It's rather late here and I need to sleep, travel safely and at least try to have fun in Russia._

_**Alfred**__ said: Bleeeh. I hate time zones D: Okay whatever man. I'll talk to you later! And yeah we'll see. I'll email you if my balls fall off from the cold. Night_

_**Kiku**__**Honda**__ has left the chat_

After Kiku was gone Alfred closed his laptop shut. Well it may be late for Kiku but the sun was still up here, which was surprising since it always seemed to rain.

_I''ll stay here all day, protest going to that damn place and maybe Dad'll realize._ Alfred though determinedly.

However that fighting spirit was broken when his stomach growled something fierce. He hadn't eaten since breakfast. Cursing loudly he glanced around his room for any source of snack. Ten minutes later he came up with a small packet of crackers that were so crushed you could hardly identify them. Tossing the crackers in anger he stomped down the steps and into the kitchen; he ignored his father and his creepy as hell tea party. After nuking a microwavable dinner he ate quickly before making his way back upstairs, collapsing onto his bed with a small sigh. It was already four o'clock by then. Tomorrow was coming way too fast.

Friday was finally here. The day their trip to Russia would begin. Arthur had been so excited that he could hardly sleep, so he decided to start the day a little earlier than planned. Arthur glanced at the clock on his bedside dresser to find the display reading 4:45 a.m. _Our plane tickets are scheduled for 9:30 a.m., so we should arrive at the airport around 8:00 a.m. _Factoring in the time it would take both of them to load up the car and travel to the airport, Arthur estimated that they should leave around 7:00 a.m.

Deciding not to waste any more time, Arthur made his way to the restroom. Grabbing a fresh towel, he turned the shower on the hottest setting possible and stepped in. This was one of the ways Arthur could relax, save for cracking open a book. Soaking up the heat and basking in the fog, Arthur quickly washed up and hopped out of the shower. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he headed towards Al's room. Knocking first, Arthur cracked the door and peered into the dark room.

"Hey…Alfred. It's time to wake up". It was no use. The lump in the bed hadn't even moved a muscle. "Alfred. _ALFRED". _Honestly…this kid could sleep through anything. Gently nudging him, Arthur tried waking him up again. _Oh for the love of…_

Reverting to what he had to do when Al was younger, Arthur ripped off the covers while yelling, "Help, someone help! McDonalds will be shut down internationally if Alfred doesn't get up right now to object to the idea! No more fries! No more milkshakes! **No**. **More**. _**Burgers**_!"

Alfred had been sleeping soundly when Arthur came in. He fell asleep late that night watching a drama anime that Kiku sent him. By the time he collapsed into his inviting bed it was already 1:10 a.m. Alfred fell asleep instantaneously, hoping not to wake up until late in the day. His new plan was to stay up late, sleep in late, then miss that plane. Sadly, this _isn't_ how it went. Instead he heard those frightening threats and bolted straight out of bed.

"Oh god! For the love of all that is holy DON'T TOUCH THE BURGERS!" He screamed before noticing his father staring at him with a smug smirk. "You're an ass." He grumbled. Arthur only replied by sticking his tongue out.

How early _was_ it? The sun wasn't even _up_ yet. Growling lowly he turned to his guardian. "What. Do. You. Want?" He asked with a scowl on his face. This was unbelievable. Then he realized his covers were off. "It's cold." He half whined, "Why're you waking me up when it's early an' cold." He didn't exactly wait for an answer before all but crawling to the bathroom. As he moves to get out of the bed, he almost collided head on into Arthur's chest. "Ahhh! Put a shirt on! Pants too!"

Chuckling to himself, Arthur just smiled at Alfred. "Yes, yes, I know. Just get yourself presentable. It's probably 5:30 a.m. by now. We're leaving for the airport around 7 a.m., our flight departs at 9:30 a.m. If you want, we can grab a bite to eat at the airport". Turning to go back to his own room, Arthur felt a little better inside knowing that Alfred wouldn't avoid him like the previous day.

A nice, long hot shower later, Alfred emerged from the bathroom. Steam rolled out of it as his jean clad legs strode to the kitchen where Arthur was. "When're we leaving?" He asked with a sigh. He was too tired to put up a fight. He needed, desperately _longed_ for coffee. Or a coke. He just wanted caffeine, sweet, glorious caffeine.

"Well if someone had listened to what I was saying instead of just waltzing into the bathroom then you would know that we leave in approximately thirty minutes. Considering how long you shower it's rather amazing your skin doesn't just turn into wrinkles."

Alfred just rolled his eyes at the comment, "I'm too sexy to prune." He countered back weakly as his eyes glazed over with sleepiness.

"Since you took your sweet time, we'll have to eat at the airport. It is quite early though…are you even hungry yet?" Arthur knew Al would be hungry. He was _always _hungry. He would never understand how one person could eat so much in one sitting.

A grunt was all Arthur received, Alfred's brain wasn't functioning enough to think about food. He slumped back upstairs and grabbed his book bag that contained his laptop, sketchpad and a few comics. It also had his iPod. He made it downstairs in one piece, almost falling only twice. A blank stare present on his drained face.

"Is the shit in the car or what?" He just wanted to get this over with already.

Alfred's sleepy state was barely tolerable, especially if things needed to be done. _I'll surprise him with some coffee. That should help improve his attitude a little…_ "Yes, the luggage has already been loaded into the car. The only thing I need loaded now is you. Move your arse!"

Alfred grunted lowly, "Mhm."

Arthur assisted Al to the car by pushing him to the door. "Don't think there will be a way out of this. It'll be fun, you'll see. Trust me. I think you're going to find the visit pleasurable". Arthur looked down at his son and gave him a genuine smile, letting him know that he really believed what he just said.

Alfred offered his dad an almost minute smile. He couldn't be angry with his father when he smiled like that. Arthur wasn't a big fan of smiling, so when he did it was always a treat. After Arthur was done locking the front door of the house and settling into the driver's seat in the car, they began their journey to Russia. Arthur popped in one of the many CDs left in the car deciding it would be best to keep Al's grumpiness at bay. Today, they would listen to one of Al's favorite bands: Placebo. As soon as the song came on, Arthur could see Alfred coming back to life little by little.

Alfred's eyes flickered with recognition, a light growing in his eyes. The band seemed to grow on him after Arthur bought him a few CDs some years back. He sang along to the songs in his head, too tired to speak. Faintly he wondered if it was possible to be too sleepy to breathe. Finally they arrived to the airport. Sighing loudly he unbuckled his seat belt and scrambled out the car.

Rolling their luggage into the airport, Arthur went to the kiosk to print out their tickets while Alfred waited for him to finish. Strolling up to the front desk, Arthur presented the proper information and had their bigger suitcases checked. They both carried on smaller bags that contained things to do while in the airport along with the things that airport employees didn't always handle with care. Luckily, nothing held them up when they went through security. The only thing that happened was the apparently random selection of who was to be patted down. Arthur had to stand off to the side while he watched some prat feel him up and down searching for who knows what. Slightly annoyed, Arthur let out a sigh of relief when he was granted permission into the rest of the airport.

Quietly, they walked along side each other in the direction of their gate. On the way there, they came across a section with a few stores and little cafes. By this time it was around 8:30 a.m. "Wait here, Alfred. Watch over our things."

"Mhm."

He sighed and left him seated in an open area with huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runways and the planes.

_I thought I saw a decent looking coffee shop around here somewhere…Ah, there it is. I'll buy him a large…no, an extra grande cup of the most caffeinated beverage they offered. I should probably get him something to eat as well. I know it isn't healthy, but there is a doughnut shop over there…_

Alfred pulled out his iPod lethargically and turned it on. He threw it on shuffle and rubbed his arms lightly. All these people... They were all single serving friends, there for a few hours then gone. Before he could completely zone, he dad was back.

About ten minutes later Arthur was making his way back to Al carrying a huge cup and a box containing six doughnuts. His son was sitting down, glancing out the window listening to his iPod. Surprising him, he plopped the box onto Al's lap and placed the cup by his side. "Eat this. I don't need you whining about how hungry you are on the flight." Arthur turned around and hid a coy smile. Surely he had just won his son over for the rest of the day.

Alfred stared at the box in surprise, smiling when he realized they were doughnuts. His mood instantly boosted when he saw the cup of coffee. He took it into his hands as if it were sacred. Taking a deep whiff of it, he gave a little giggle and took a huge gulp. He didn't mind the slight numbness of his now burned tongue, all that mattered was the sweet coffee.

"Thanks dad!" He chimed as he bit into one of the doughnuts, finishing four more within a few minutes.

He sipped his coffee before looking at Arthur, "Hey you want one?" He asked offering the last doughnut, rotten mood completely forgotten as his energy kick seemed to set in.

Usually he didn't indulge in such a sweet snack, but since Al's mood had gotten so much better, he couldn't help but think why not. "Thank you," he said while nibbling on the last doughnut. _Just in time, too. The plane will be boarding soon. That reminds me… _

Alfred gulped down the rest of his it in the nearest trashcan he felt the caffeinated buzz really set in.

"Oh, Alfred. I forgot to mention something to you earlier. This being our special adventure and all, I took the liberty of booking us first-class seats. It's worth it since the flight will be a bit over 3 hours. It should make the travelling more comfortable. Would you like the window seat? I thought you looked a little upset about not having one last time."

"Really? _Yes_ I want the window seat!" He made an unintelligible noise that attracted some people. "First class, first class. How I love you, first class!" He sang rather loudly.

Arthur watched his son jump around, talking a mile a minute. That was when Arthur made a mental not to give Alfred so much sugar and coffee in one sitting.

Arthur and Alfred gathered their things together and went to wait in line as they boarded the plane. Letting Al walk in front of him, they found their seats and waited for the take-off.

"Don't be afraid to ask the flight attendants for anything."

"I won't.

"In first-class, everything is free."

"Awesome!"

And don't even think about asking for liquor...I'll chop your bloody head off."

"Ah, damn. There goes my plans for boozin'."

Arthur looked at his son and gave him a wink before pulling out a Sherlock Holmes novel. While Arthur sank into his blissful world of mysteries he'd already read countless times, Alfred began annoying the attendants. Not even twenty minutes in he had pressed the button four times, asking for a soda, a snack, and if lunch would be served. Finally he gave the poor, annoyed woman a break and placed his headphones back on. He didn't like drawing on a plane so instead he looked out the window, smiling at their great distance from the ground. Too buzzed on caffeine, the sight of clouds couldn't hold his attention span…so Alfred rang the button again. This time it was a different attendant.

"Excuse me sir, I want a hamburger."

_Oh God…here we go. _Arthur knew he should've explained what he meant by asking the attendants for anything…

"We aren't serving those."

"Oh, I think you are."

_Son, when will you ever learn? I hope the attendant isn't too offended by this._

"Excuse me?"

"I paid good money, I want a hamburger."

At this point it was hard for him to control his facial expressions. Arthur wanted to laugh, chastise, and apologize all at once.

"But sir we-"

"I _paid_ good money!"

"I paid for these tickets and this is senseless prattle, Alfred. Do stop now." Turning to the attendant, Arthur apologized and asked what entrees were offered for this flight. Selecting a sirloin steak with French fries, Arthur dismissed the service man. "That'll be all for now. Thank you."

The attendant sighed; this was going to be a long flight.

When there was no sign of the attendant, Arthur punched Alfred in the arm. "Who do you think you are, you little prat?" Then he proceeded to capture his son into a headlock. "You think you're so tough! Can't do anything to stop me though, can you?" Arthur took his free hand and began to give Alfred a noogie while the teen tried to escape from his grasp. "Do you give up? Say I win! Say I am the greatest father there ever was! Say it, Al! Say It!"


	3. Russia

**A/N: Okay. We're pretty sure everyone is upset with us for taking SUCH a long time releasing another chapter. School keeps you away from what you actually want to do. That and our uncanny habit of procrastinating. We deeply apologize. _ But to make it up to you, we made this chapter extra long. Thank you to everyone who has read/alerted/favorite/reviewed our story! We really appreciate it! So without further ado, please enjoy this chapter. o 3o**

**-Bee & Jay.**

**DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN ANYTHING SAVE FOR OUR CREATIVE WRITING AND IDEAS.**

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><p><em>Attention Ladies and Gentlemen: The Captain has indicated that we have almost reached our destination. The estimated time of arrival will be in 15 minutes. In preparation for landing, please assist your cabin crew by adjusting your seat to their normal position and your tray tables into their upright and locked positions... The flight attendants will be coming through the cabin to collect any trash or additional service items that you may have. Please pass them to the center of aisle, and welcome to Moscow, Russia. Thank you for choosing our airlines and enjoy your visit. <em>_A soft male voice said through the intercom. The message repeated again in smooth Russian._

Arthur opened his eyes, blinking a few times and letting out a little yawn. He had fallen asleep after Al had settled into the seat after eating while he listened to his iPod. Arthur glanced over to find that his son had dosed off as well. Looking at the teen, Arthur couldn't help but smile to himself. To him, Alfred's face resembled an innocent child when he slept. In fact, it looked quite different from the face he made earlier… Arthur smirked and removed one of the ear buds as he started to tap Al on the shoulder to let him know they would be landing soon.

"Alfred….Alfred…."

_Of course. He would be difficult when he knows I can't make false threats… Looks like I'll have to be a little rough_… Arthur proceeded to give Alfred a nice flick on the forehead. Alfred shifted in his seat, his eyes opening slowly. He glared weakly at his father.

"We're here?" He asked glancing out of the window with bleary eyes. He sat up slowly only to place his head on Arthur's shoulder. He knew that after they got off this plane they'd catch a taxi to their first hotel for a one night stay. Then they'd get their car rental and drive to God-knows-where and check in at the other hotel. Then it was exploring time. Groaning loudly he buried his head further into his shoulder.

Arthur moved the arm closest to Alfred behind his son's back and comforted him a little. Offering a little comfort, he rubbed his arm up and down along the teen's arm and sort of embraced him from the side.

"Come now. You need to pull yourself together. Fix your seat and get ready for when the plane lands". Using his free hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of spearmint gum. "You'll be better off if you chew a piece while the plane is in descent. Either that, or keep your headphones in place." As he said this, he held out the pack offering it to Al.

With a sleepy grunt Alfred's hand slithered to the gum pack, snatching a piece. Slowly he unwrapped it and placed it in his mouth, chewing it lethargically.

"When are we gettin' off the plane?" He asked curling into Arthur's shoulder some more, as if he were shutting the light out of his eyes.

"Soon enough, Alfred."

Within five minutes, the plane touched the ground and navigated its way towards the right terminal. When the captain turned the seatbelt sign off, the cabins quickly became animate as people scurried around and collected their belongings. After coaxing Alfred for a little while Arthur managed to get him off the plane and obtain their luggage. Alfred wasn't the best sport, mumbling things about 'stupid commie writing' when he tried to read some of the signs. After grabbing a bite to eat the two caught a taxi. The driver spoke decent English and got them to the hotel without a problem. The weather wasn't too bad, at least not today. Stepping out of the cab, they gathered their things and made their way into the hotel. Arthur was completely stunned. He thought everything was beautiful; the architecture, the people, and the scenery. However, Alfred wasn't. He spent most of his time complaining about the cold.

Walking up to the front desk, Arthur handed over the necessary information that was needed to complete the check-in process.

_At least the concierge knows decent English….Hopefully the phrasebook I purchased will prove to be of some use during this trip_. Finishing up at the front desk, Arthur turned to Al and gave him a small smile. After receiving a slightly forced smile back Arthur turned to the elevator.

"Alright then. We will be staying on the third floor. Shall we? "Arthur could barely contain his excitement. They made their way to their room in a silence that wasn't particularly bad, but it wasn't good either. Arthur unlocked the door and stepped into the room. It had all the basics of a normal hotel room with the addition of a small kitchen off to the side of the recreation room. Arthur placed his luggage down and leapt towards Alfred, grabbing him up in a hug as he lifted him and swung around in circles.

"Dad I'm too old for this!" Alfred tried to protest but couldn't help it as a smile came onto his face.

Arthur ignored his son's comment. "We're here, Al! We should go out and venture today! What do you think?"

"...S'not bad for a commie hotel."

"They're not communists anymore, Alfred."

Alfred ignored him and walked over to the window to take in the view. It really was nice, since it was early spring. The view was amazing.

"Did you bring your camera?" He asked turning around.

"Of course I did. Hold on for a moment." Rummaging around in his suitcase, Arthur pulled out a very high quality Nikon and passed it to Alfred. His son's attitude was surprisingly still tolerable. He was glad the Alfred was warming up to Russia so quickly. Moving to stand with him by the window, he gave a short explanation as to Russia wasn't a communist territory any longer.

Not surprisingly, Alfred didn't exactly listen. He was far too busy snapping shots of the spectacular view. Arthur stood by Al while he took a few pictures and then returned to his luggage. Pulling out his laptop, Arthur started to look up the different tourist locations within Moscow. Since they were only going to be there for the rest of the day he figured going to only the most interesting places would be possible. Speaking over his shoulder, Arthur questioned his son.

"Hey. Do you feel like going out to sightsee and venture? Or do you want to just hang back in the room for today?"

"Can we stay?" Alfred asked sitting on a chair. "I wanna just chill out. We can check out Moscow after we're done going to your creepy building in the middle of nowhere."

Alfred lent his father a smile.

Arthur furrowed his eyebrows and was about to complain about the importance of exploring every part of Russia they could but then he stopped. Thinking to himself, he realized that maybe it would be better for them to rest on the first day. Giving up on the idea, he turned back towards his bed.

"Since you won't explore now, we are going to start bright and early tomorrow morning."

"But dad-"

"I'll have none of your complaining either."

"Fine." He dragged out the word and plopped onto the bed. He fished out his laptop and logged in, ready to play some games.

Arthur also reached for his laptop and decided to start an email to his colleague stating their safe arrival to Russia.

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><p>Arthur tossed and turned with excitement throughout the night. How could he possibly sleep with this much excitement running through him? The clock on the nightstand let him know that it was nearly five in the morning. Looking to his right revealed an outline of a body slowing rising and falling.<p>

_Just like a baby. I suppose I'll get ready first and then wake him._

Moving quietly, he navigated through the room with ease as he made his way through his daily morning routine. Afterwards, he re-packed his belongings and went to wake his son. The checkout time was set for 7 a.m. He could have chosen a later time, but this excuse would help them get the day started early. Striding over to the other bed, Arthur gently tapped the body.

"Alfred. Alfred, wake up. It's almost time for us to check out."

Alfred groaned and shoved his head under the pillow; having slept very well he didn't want to even think about getting up. "Go away."

"Oh come now, Alfred. You've had plenty of rest and we need to be on our way."

"But Dad, it's like-"

"Alfred F. Kirkland! Get your arse out of that bed before I _make _you get up."

Alfred whimpered and cracked an eye open. "Fine, fine. I'm up."

He slowly sat up from his bed and inched out of his covers. First things were first; he was going to take a nice hot shower. He hurried to the bathroom-only bumping into a few things- and hopped right on in. After twenty minutes he walked out of the shower. Alfred wasn't entirely surprised Arthur picked out his outfit for the day and set it on top of the sink counter. His lips quirked into a smile as he changed into the warm clothing. Ten minutes later he was out of the bathroom and he couldn't help but feel excitement pulse through him.

"Ready?"

"It's about bloody time."

"It takes time to look good."

Arthur grumbled to himself but couldn't help but notice his son's excitement as he rolled their luggage to the front door and performed a brief scan of their room, smiling to himself. Naturally he had packed all of Alfred's belongings after picking out his outfit.

"Have you got everything then? Your camera and whatnot?"

"Yeah, yeah. I have everythin'." He glanced around the room to double-check.

"Right. Let's make our way to the concierge and start our trip! I've tried to map out a scenic route to our destination. Granted this route is longer, but I'm sure it'll be well worth it. Maybe you could take a few shots so we'll have something to remember this trip. What do you think?"

Alfred nodded, "Sounds awesome. Is the rental car here or do we have to go out and hunt it?" He asked slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"I had the rental place drop it off a half hour ago."

"Cool, gonna let me drive?"

Arthur just stared at Alfred and offered a remark riddled in sarcasm. "Sure thing. I want us to die before we get to explore Russia."

"You're no fun old man." He teased closing the door to the hotel room.

"I am not _old_ thank you. And if not being 'fun' means wanting to live then label me a rather dull person."

After the two successfully checked out and obtained the location of their rented car along with the keys they were off to the parking lot. Arthur had chosen a rather simple, five seat green car. Alfred took the challenge of packing up the car, putting the luggage in surprisingly skillfully. Not long after they were on the road, talking pleasantly, snapping scenic pictures, and having a fairly great time.

"Oh, Al! Take a picture of that cathedral! I read online that the gold within its structure is pure. Fascinating, really. The steeple is so high."

Alfred grinned and took the picture, "Got it!"

It was refreshing to know that they were both having a great time. Scanning the area, Arthur saw what looked like McDonalds. _It couldn't be, could it? Here in Russia? _

"Hey Al. That looks like a McDonalds, doesn't it? Are you hungry? We could stop there for a bit." He said this while pointing in the direction of the building.

Alfred nearly squealed with childish delight as he saw the golden arches. "Hell yes! I didn't know they had McDonalds in Russia..." He paused for a moment, "It probably taste like communism but my patriotism can stomach it." He said shrugging.

"You are such a prat," Arthur teased as he rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p>Alfred was sitting contently in the car after eating his ridiculously large McDonalds meal. A large cup of coffee in one hand and a cookie in the other. Arthur had to listen to his son complain about the different taste between bites; it was an ordeal. Though now they were on the road again and about a third of the way to their destination. Arthur hadn't made any other reservations for a hotel because he wasn't sure how close they would venture to their destination before becoming tired.<p>

Reading the sign on the side of the road Arthur decided to take another detour. He knew this wasn't part of the plan and he usually wasn't this spontaneous, but something told him he should go in that direction. As they continued down the road Arthur noticed the traffic easing up and the city becoming fainter in the rearview mirror. He started to doubt his decision but then quickly dismissed it as they travelled the road further.

Alfred watched with a small frown as they drove further away from the city. He didn't exactly realize it was a detour, thinking this was the way to god knows where. He bit his lip and continued to snap photos, keeping silent at all the new surrounds.

After about fifteen minutes, the road had turned from a smooth, asphalt road into a dirt road speckled with pebbles and stones. It was obvious that this road was not travelled often. If it was, it certainly wasn't by any sort of vehicle. He was about to change his mind and turn around when Arthur spotted a distant building to his far right. It looked like it had the dimensions of a castle. Curiosity getting the best of him, he decided to follow the pathway that seemed to lead towards the object in question.

Alfred stared at the castle, it looked creepy as hell. The setting sun didn't make it any better. Alfred wanted to ask Arthur to turn around and drive to the nearest hotel but-

"Hey Alfred. Do you see that building to your right? I don't know what it is in the least, but I want to find out. After we peak around for a bit, we'll head to a nearby hotel. It'll be late by the time we're done. Take some pictures. Even from this distance it looks rather…enchanting."

Alfred groaned, "'Course I see it!" His nose scrunched up in distaste, "Hell no! That place is creepy as shit. Let's just go to the hotel and forget about it."

"Don't be such a little git, you baby. Just take some pictures already. I won't be able to find this road again. I wandered away from the original route. All we'll do is drive as close as we can, see what we can see, and be on our way. Ten minutes tops, alright?"

"Fine," Al sighed. He knew there would be no stopping his dad when he got excited.

By then they had arrived in front of a gothic double door gate that blocked the path leading to the dark building. Spirals along the top and an intricate design throughout sent a small shiver down Arthur's spine. Looking towards the center of the doors, he pointed out that the absence of a lock. The mansion looked like it was deserted – had been for a long time. Maybe _that _was the reason for no signs or information about an ancient looking place like this.

Barely being able to contain his excitement, Arthur stopped the car. Even though the place looked like a ghost town, he parked the car a little ways from the main gate, placing it out of sight. He quickly looked to Alfred for his answer.

"Well are you coming?"

"You can go. If you don't come back in an hour I'll call the commie police." He paused, "Nah. I'll save you myself. I _am _the hero after all." He said smugly. Alfred leaned back in his chair. "Be safe."

Art gave a quick nod of the head. Then he realized the time window Al had given him. "An hour? Bloody hell, I said ten minutes! If you really cared you would make that fifteen minutes". He gave his son a playful punch on the arm and then his facial expression turned serious.

"Right then. Al, if I'm not back within ten to fifteen minutes then drive the car and go find the _police._ And for god sakes do NOT call them commies. _That _will get you absolutely nowhere. Do not come in after me. I know you have this hero complex, but try to set that aside…at least for now. I'm sure nothing will happen but just in case it does, you know what you are to do. If you get chilly then feel free to turn the car back on. Understood?"

Alfred gave him a smile, "I can take care of myself for a few minutes dad. An' yeah, yeah. I'll go find the police." He lied. If his father was in trouble there was no way he'd waste the time to go and find the police. He waved him off, handing him his camera. "You can take some pictures. They won't be as awesome as mine but they'll still turn out cool."

Smiling he reached across the middle console and briefly hugged his son. Accepting the camera, Arthur stepped out of the car and grabbed his jacket from the back seat.

Walking up to the gate, Arthur examined the design. He took a few snap shots of the gate and then carefully pushed it with his fingertips. The gate didn't budge. Pushing a little harder, he discovered that this was a gate that opened outwards. He took his gloves out of his jacket pocket and slipped them on before grabbing onto the door. The door creaked when he slowly pulled it toward him. Once it was opened enough for him to slip in, he glanced back to Al. They momentarily locked eyes as he waved, so he gave a quick smile and slowly disappeared onto the castle grounds.

Looking around, he could scarcely see what the premise looked like. It grew darker by the second. The huge trees that were placed in various places didn't help the visibility factor either. Arthur managed to get a few more shots from different angles while he walked in the direction of the main item of his interest.

Arthur stopped dead in his footsteps. Was that a whisper he heard? He spun around so quickly that he almost fell over. His eyes dashed from side to side.

"H-Hello…?"

After a few seconds of regaining his composure, he began walking again. _Get it together, Arthur. You're imagining things._

Even though he gave himself a little pep talk he was still a little on edge. He walked carefully and tried to avoid the crunchy leaves on the ground. That's when he thought he heard something else.

Suddenly he took a crouching position._ Footsteps? Is that what I heard? Were they mine? Oh what the hell, Arthur. Stop being a prat. _He remained the way he was until he was absolutely positive that he was imagining things.

Pulling himself together –again—he finally made it to the castle. It was the biggest estate he had ever seen in his life. Forgetting all about the little frights he had just moments ago, he turned on the camera and energetically started taking pictures. _It's beautiful. This detour was well worth it. Just look at the structure! Al's really missing out on this one._

Walking over to the door he stopped to observe the detail on the door. There were words written in the Russian language, so he couldn't decipher the meaning. It could have been the name of the residents whom had once lived there. Lifting up the camera to his face to take another picture, Arthur saw something flash by him out of the corner of his eye. Almost dropping the expensive device, he let out a little yip and quickly looked around him. _I've gone mad. After this, I should be on my way back to Alfred. It's been about ten minutes._ And then one of the front doors slowly opened, and Arthur froze.

Caught up in trying to figure out what he should do, Arthur failed to notice the multiple beings separating him from the car and Alfred. A snarling sound had him whipping around only to see that the noises from earlier must have been caused by what he was staring at. Wolves.

Slowly, he took a step backwards, the door at his back. The wolves inched closer and he realized he had no other choice than to go inside. _Alfred… _Thoughts about his son's safety clouded his mind. _The car…he'll be safe. Alfred, don't get out of the car._ Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't seen the wolves close in on him. His flight impulses kicking in, he stumbled backwards into the ajar door and fell before he could close it. Scrambling to his feet, he launched himself into the door, closing it as a wolf tried to push past it to get to him.

The door made a loud noise that echoed inside when he forcefully shut it. He leaned against the door and slightly panted. Then he remembered where he was. Observing the inside from where he stood left him in shock and awe. The outside appeared to be a ghost town but the inside was the exact opposite. A fireplace was lit and there were decorations all over the place. Expensive furniture, vases full of sunflowers and portraits of what looked like important Russian figures filled the spaces he could see from where he was standing.

Arthur desperately wanted to take pictures, but seeing as this residence was actually inhibited, he wanted to get permission.

"H-Hello…? Is anyone home? I've stumbled upon your home by accident. I'm not from here you see, so please pardon my intrusion."

He waited patiently for an answer, but one never came. _Maybe no one's home. _Peeking through the window next to the door, he saw the wolves were still there, waiting for him. _Well, whoever lives here will understand that I had to come in because of the stupid wolves. I'll just sit in this chair and wait. _The chair he seated himself in sat next to a wooden bureau with a fancy candelabra atop of it.

A small gasp was heard, "A stranger..." A thick French accent was present. The candelabra gasped and stared at the man, alighting himself. "Look at this...What is your name?"

Arthur stared incredulously. _Am I daft? Did that thing just talk to me? _Going against his better judgment, he decided to have a conversation with the candle. Maybe it would calm his nerves down some. _Oh! Or maybe it's a new special friend! I'll have to buy another cup to go with my tea set now…_

Lost in his mind, the candelabra made a noise as if he was clearing his throat to get his attention. "What is your name," he asked slightly annoyed.

"A-Arthur. Arthur Kirkland".

"Oh, he's _English_. Well that is just great. The first stranger we get and he's _English_!" He continued.

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Arthur furrowed his eyebrows at the comment.

"What's going on Papa?" A soft voice called. A boy about seventeen emerged into the room. He wore thick wool pajama pants and a hoodie. He gasped at the sight of Arthur. "A person…"

The candelabra smiled, "Matthieu! Were you going to the kitchen to get a drink? You are usually retired for the night."

Mathew ignored his papa, looking over at Arthur. "Who are you?" He asked quietly. He felt a little happy being able to ask the question that was usually directed towards him.

Was he imagining things? This boy looked freakishly identical to his Alfred. He couldn't do anything but stare in disbelief. Realizing that he was gawking, he stuttered out the words that came to his mind first.

"I'm Arthur Kirkland. Who are you? You look just like my son! It's incredible!" That comment earned him nothing but awkward silence and a small, shy shrug from Matthieu. To ease the tension building up, Arthur explained how he stumbled upon the manner and why he had intruded.

"The wolves?" He looked outside to see them still there, "Well you can wait here if you'd like, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Why thank you. That's very kind, but you see my son is still – wait. He? Who's he? Are you sure-"

"Mathieu, I thought I taught you better manners. If we are to have company you treat them _right, _even if they _are _English. Not to just let them stay in the entry way. Go get Feli and tell him to make something to eat! We have a guest!"

"Y-yes papa..." He muttered in French, walking to the head chef's quarters. Hopefully the head butler wasn't with him or they'd be in big trouble.

"Please. My son. He's out in the car and I'm worried about him. Would it be possible if-"

"Come, come! Let us make our way into a more comfortable part of the house". And with that, Arthur was ignored and ushered into a room that led deeper into the castle. _I hope he's okay…_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in the car, Alfred shifted uneasily as he wondered what the hell was taking his dad so long. It had been half an hour since Arthur left. Alfred had given him leeway time in case Arthur had lost track of a few minutes but this was...This was probably bad. Alfred scrambled over to the driver's seat and started the car, keeping the lights off. He then began to slowly creep forward only to see wolves at the door when he got closer. "Well fuck." He groaned. How was he going to get to his father now?<p>

He sat in the car trying to think of a method to get past the wolves. Nothing was coming to mind when all of a sudden the wolves retreated. _That's weird. Where are they going? _Then something big rushed past the driver's side mirror.

"The fuck was that?" Alfred reached for the automatic lock button the car door and secured himself inside. He continued to search for whatever the hell he thought he saw for a few minutes before deciding to shrug it off.

He stayed on high alert as he started to move the car closer to the castle, the big shadow appeared again. Only this time, it never went away…

* * *

><p>Mathew walked towards Feliciano's room in excitement. They hadn't had company since the curse! Mathew arrived to the oak door and pressed ear to it. He heard nothing and silently prayed that Ludwig, the head butler wasn't with him. He knocked on the door timidly. Within seconds a bright, cheery faced Italian appeared.<p>

"Ciao~"

Mathew waved, fidgeting. "Feli…Can you come to the kitchen?"

"Of course I can! I wasn't sleeping because Luddy isn't in bed yet an-"

As much as Mathew liked Feliciano, the man could ramble. "We have a guest," He whispered. "I'll tell you on the way..."

Matthieu and Feli made their way to the kitchen while Francois tended to Arthur. The candelabra was leading Arthur to the dining room. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Francois, but an uncultured English man such as yourself would call me Francis." The French candelabra oozed.

They arrived to the dining room where everything looked pristine. "Sit wherever you would like, Mathieu will have gotten Feli by now. They're probably off heating up food from this night's dinner." He watched as Arthur sat down.

"You said you have a child accompanying you?"

Arthur decided to ignore the snide comments coming from his host. "Y-Yes. My son, Alfred. He's in a car parked outside of the main gate. He looks an awful lot like your son, actually. I just hope he's alright. Those wolves look quite vicious."

"The wolves are not what you need to fear for your son's safety…"

"Wait. Does this have to do with this mysterious man from earlier? Who the he-"

"Sir, we guarantee that our food is the best food to ever be offered in Russia! We have everything. Now, relax and enjoy your time with us, s'il vous plaît. He practically purred when he spoke his native language. Cut off again, Arthur couldn't help but wonder how a French - whatever he was-ended up here in Russia in the first place.

* * *

><p>Alfred stopped the car and turned his head reluctantly to the side. At first he saw nothing; then there was a man. He was tall with pale skin, vibrant, glowing eyes and silver hair. Alfred shrieked, wishing the man would vanish. Sadly, the man didn't.<p>

Instead he snarled something out that Alfred couldn't hear. The mysterious man grabbed the door handle and began to pull at it. Alfred sat in shock, looking at the angered look in his eyes. Suddenly he was thankful for the lock on the doors. That was, until, the door was ripped off. Alfred yelled as he was grabbed by the collar and pulled out of the car. Cold air assaulted his senses as shaky blue eyes stared into the gleaming purple ones.

"L-let me go!" He said in a wavering voice, struggling in the tight hold.

The man growled, actually _growled_. "Amerikan?" He asked glaring at Alfred.

When Alfred was silent the man grew angrier. "What are you doing here?" the man hissed out, his words were strongly accented from his Russian heritage. "Tell me!" He demanded, slamming Alfred against the car.

Alfred mustered up a glare, "I don't have to tell you a damn thing."

"A month in a cell will change that!" Was the response, the words held promise.

Without another word Alfred was dragged kicking and screaming into the manner by the mysterious man.

Practically kicking in the front door, the beast-like man was about to yell for his second in command but the boy was still squirming in his hands so he gave him a quick shake. "Ostanovitʹ".

"I don't speak commie, bastard!"

The man was about to throw him against the wall until he heard a noise coming from the further within the house. Advancing towards the sound, dragging Al the whole way, he soon discovered another stranger in his house. No. Not only in his house, but in _his _chair as well.

Arthur thought he heard Alfred, so he was on high alert when he noticed a figure appearing closer and closer to him. Slowly standing up, he noticed that this thing was dragging something. No, not something…someone. His heart started to race as he realized that someone was his son.

"Alfred! Let the hell go of him! Who do you think you are?" Arthur completely ignored the man's size because his adrenalin had kicked in along with his paternal instincts.

_Merde. This is not going to be pleasant. _"Mister Ivan. This is Arthur Kirkland. It is my fault that-"

"No, Papa. Stop." Matthieu and Feli had rushed out of the kitchen when they heard the commotion. They stood in the doorway closest to Arthur, observing the current situation. Matt continued to speak to his father in French. Arthur wasn't a great French speaker, but he picked up on a few things being said. Something about Francis already sacrificing his body for Matthieu. What the bloody hell was going on?

"M-Mister Ivan…I-I invited t-them to eat something. I-It's dark out and the wolves were stalking them, s-so I-" Matthieu continued to stammer until he was cut off.

"Who the fuck gave you the right to let people in my home?" The Russian glared at Matthieu and then turned his attention to Arthur.

"Either you get the hell off of my son or I'll make you regret it."

"Really? What could you do? You are so small and fragile."

Feeling his emotions take over him, Artie lunged towards Ivan, taking him by surprise. Ivan was too quick for Arthur though. In order to stop the attack, the Russian threw Alfred across the room and grabbed Arthur instead.

_That's what I wanted you to do. Not so smart, are you? Stupid git. _He checked Alfred over with his eyes to see if there was any visible damage done only spotting a couple scrapes and bruises.

"I was just about to show the Amerikan to his cell. I think you need one too, da?" He smirked as he mocked the man he so easily detained.

"Just take me instead. I'll do anything if you let him go." Arthur saw Alfred start to object but quickly stopped him from talking with the look he gave him. A look that said he needed Al to do as he said. If only just for this one time.

The Russian contemplated the offer for a minute and then gazed down at the man in his arms.

"Let us make a deal."

* * *

><p>S'il vous plait – please (formal)<p>

Merde - shit

Ostanovitʹ - stop


	4. The Deal

**A/N: We would love to touch each and every one of your faces for reading our story. ;) Thank you to everyone who read/favorited/alerted/reviewed. Just know that we apologize for updating later again. But what can we do, eh? C'est la vie. Anyways, please enjoy this chapter~!**

**-Bee & Jay.**

**DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN (but would love to own these characters' bodies...mmmm) ANYTHING SAVE FOR OUR CREATIVE IDEAS AND WRITING.**

* * *

><p>Arthur looked up nervously at the bigger man.<p>

"What kind of deal do you have in mind?"

As the Russian was about to speak, a tall, blonde man with blue eyes entered into the room. The fact that his shoulders were rising and falling quicker than normal was the only sign that he had been rushing to get there. His eyes widened and then quickly returned to normal when he saw the strangers. Pulling himself together, he stood up straight and cleared his throat.

"Mein Herr," he said with a slight bow.

Ivan gave his second in command a look that could kill and scoffed.

"How pleasant of you to show up, Beilschmidt. I know you weren't fucking the little Italian over there. Where the hell have you been?" The tone in his voice was more curious rather than angry.

The Italian mentioned visibly shrunk, trying to sink into the background. Mathieu reached for his hand and gave it a little squeeze. He knew how uncomfortable it felt to be put on the spot.

Seeing that one of the strangers was being held by Ivan, the tall blonde moved swiftly into the room and secured the boy located on the floor.

"I was attending to some business in the farther wing of the mansion, Mein Herr. I came as soon as I could," the man spoke with confidence while looking Ivan straight in the eyes. That was one of the reasons he was second in command. Despite the tension of the situation he always held his head high and handled his business like a man.

Nodding his head, Ivan looked over to Frances and then to Mathieu.

"One of you tell him what has happened here."

Mathieu looked over at Alfred, who was kicking and struggling in the borderline painful hold. He was going to yell but he caught a stern look from his father. The look told him not to do a _damn_ thing and for once, Alfred listened. to him.

Taking a deep breath, Mathieu let go of Feli's hand and took one step forward, opening his mouth to explain. "Well, Ludwig-"

"The wolves chased in this man. He wanted some shelter so like good hosts, we provided some. It is very dangerous without proper protection! If I knew he was an Englishman earlier I would've left him be," Francis cut in, "I mean out of all the people that could have stumbled upon our home it had to be-"

"Francis." The man, Ludwig interjected with a warning stare.

"Ah, very well. Still skipping the fun parts and getting down to the details, I see." Francis sighed, "Well, he came in and I convinced Mathieu to go get him some food. He looked very cold, you see." He said truthfully. "Mon fils had no choice but to listen to me, it isn't his fault." He continued looking over at Mathieu, trying to ensure his safety. "And then he fetched Feli to make him something to eat. All of the sudden Monsieur Braginski appeared with him..."

Francis trailed off to stare at Alfred. For the first time he seemed to _really_ see him. The resemblance between his own son and the other startled him. Didn't Arthur mention something of the boy earlier? Francis cleared his throat.

"And that is where you came in." He didn't leave out any details that he was aware of. "It was an honest mistake, the two of them coming in here. They should have a free pass or something. They did nothing purposely wrong."

Ludwig kept a straight face didn't show emotion while listening to the story. Afterwards, he just grunted and looked to Ivan, waiting for further instruction.

"We didn't do shit." Alfred hissed under his breath before his eyes met with Mathieu's. The blue-purple eyes were laced with fear, silently telling him not to do anything.

Alfred let out a small noise as the man holding onto him tightened his grip. "Mind your manners, boy."

Arthur tried shaking out of the embrace once again, but wasn't able to budge. "Hurt him and you'll regret it," he spat at the German man.

Chuckling to himself, the Lord of the house looked over to his second. "I said we would make a deal. So we will make a deal. Follow me. Bring that one too."

Ludwig inclined his head and began to follow the other into the lower compartments of the mansion. Before he was completely out of the room, he stopped and turned to face the others in the room.

"Do not follow. You will be punished." That said he walked out of the room with ease as if holding another person hostage came naturally.

"Lemme go! I can walk my own damn self." He cursed loudly, only to be ignored by Ludwig as he was all but forced out of the room.

The remaining people in the room could do nothing but wait and hope for the best. Feli sheepishly turned around to head back into the kitchen.

"I'm going to make something for when they're all finished." He tried to say cheerfully, "I'll make some pasta for everyone. Who doesn't like pasta?"

When he was gone, Mathieu rushed over to Francis and picked him up, hugging him to his chest. Then he brought him to face level and whispered, even though they were the only two left in the room.

"Papa? Do you think they will get the same deal that we were offered?" The blue-purple eyes started to water before his father could give him an opinion.

Francis gave him a small smile, "We can only hope that he does something as generous…" He said looking to the doorway. "Braginski seemed very angry. Hopefully he doesn't take it out on those poor people." Francis thought about something for a few moments as they stood in silence.

"Mathieu?"

"Oui, Papa?"

"Perhaps that boy is what we've been waiting for."

"But you saw how Mister Bragin-"

"No, no. Listen. That young boy, Alfred...He could be the one to free us."

"I don't think that'll happen."

"And why not? Sure there is a rough start between the two of them but...Mathieu this is the first one to come by in so long. We don't have much time left."

Mathieu just nodded and looked away, staring at the floor. The smell of pasta floated into the dining room, along with the sound of Italian singing.

* * *

><p>Arthur was being particularly quiet during this time. He was trying to memorize how many rights and lefts they were taking for when they escaped….hopefully. Alfred on the other hand spent most of the time glaring at the back of the tall Russian's head. His antagonist wasn't actually silver haired, he noticed. But instead a very light blond with hidden tints. A rare, freaky color in Al's mind.<p>

_First we turned left. Then we went for straight for about 3 minutes. Then a right and down some stairs. Then straight again… _His thoughts were cut off by his son's sudden outburst.

"What type of deal are ya' willin' to make?" Alfred asked, still being held by the brooding man with a German accent. "We aren't gonna pay you anything, we aren't scared."

Even though he knew Al would get them into more trouble, Arthur smiled to himself. That was his son, alright. He never did know when not to be a hero.

Laughing again, Ivan looked over his shoulder at his second. "Do you hear what he says? What a mouth, da?" He shook his head and continued to usher Arthur further into the mansion. Ludwig grunted in reply again, keeping up with the other's pace.

"Don't talk like I can't hear you." Alfred said angrily, wanting to do nothing more but to _yell_ and _scream_ at the bastards holding them captive.

"Where are you taking us? I thought you said we were going to make a deal," Arthur gritted through his teeth after trying to break free again. Then he realized their pace slowing down as they approached a regular sized door at the end of the hallway.

Kicking in the door, Ivan hauled his captive into the room with his ever loyal second closing in behind him. The room contained of one table set with three chairs; two on one side facing the other. Other than that, the room was pretty bland and looked like it was rarely used.

Alfred stared at the room and slowly felt dread pool into his stomach when he took in the room. This looked like a standard room where bad things went down. He would know, he's played plenty of video games, read hundreds of comics, and seen hours upon hours of action movies. This wasn't good. Alfred bit his lip, scanning the room for any torturing devices. Thankfully, the room came up clean. Then the Russian began talking.

"Oh. I had forgotten that the last time we used this room it was for the other two. How convenient." He glanced at Ludwig only to find a small smirk on the other's face.

The eerie phrase made the hairs stand up on the back of Alfred's neck. He wondered what exactly happened to the other two when suddenly the German practically threw Alfred further into the room and positioned himself in front of the now shut door. Ivan had shoved Arthur towards the table and took his seat on the side with only one chair.

After Arthur was released, he ran over to his son and gave him a tight hug and asked him if he was alright. When that was finished, he briefly scanned Al's body with his eyes for any signs of physical damage other than minor cuts and bruises.

"You okay dad?" He asked quietly, offering him a small smile before his face turned back neutral. Arthur reached down and gently squeezed Al's hand and then went to sit on the other side of the table. Deciding he was fed up with the way things were going, _he_ spoke first.

"Now what's this deal business? What do you want? We haven't caused any harm or done anything wrong."

"Yeah we haven't." Alfred chimed in, glaring at the other.

The man in charge looked at both of them with cold eyes and a blank expression. "Do you not see two chairs? Sit." He directed his words towards a very stubborn Alfred, who stood there as if he were made of stone. Without needing a command, Ludwig promptly moved to where the boy was and effortlessly placed him on the chair. It was like the two of them had a special kind of communication method.

Seeing his son treated this way provoked Arthur's anger even more. Almost yelling, he once again demanded the reason as to why they were there.

"What the bloody hell is your reason for bringing us here?"

"You have trespassed here on my property. _That _is your crime."

Arthur snorted at the comment. _I don't believe the audacity of this man. I mean really. Oh sure, I trespassed onto his property but did I steal or alter anything? No. I would have gone back to my car if the bastard had his bloody wolf problem under control. Stupid git. And to __**think **__that this amazing structure is owned by someone as mental as this guy. But I suppose this was all my idea. _Arthur thought to himself about how he insisted on exploring Russia instead of just going to where they needed to go. He cursed himself silently. Looking at his son, flashbacks ran through his mind about how Al didn't even want to go to Russia. _Maybe I should've listened to him…So much for this trip being our last great adventure together. Well, I know what I have to do now._

Turning to face Braginski, Arthur regained his composure and spoke to the man as if he were a respected colleague.

"Listen. I know I have made a mistake. Yes, I trespassed. But it was only me who committed the crime. If it weren't for me, my son would have never entered through those gates." Here he paused, trying to piece together how to phrase his next sentence. Sure he committed an offense, but he didn't think it was punishment worthy. However, at the same time, there was no way he would let Al take the blame for his actions.

Alfred tensed as soon as he heard the start of his father's sentence, knowing exactly where it would go. As much as he wanted to call out and yell at his father about how _stupid_ he was being, Alfred stayed put. He squeezed the hand in his in a resort of telling his father to stop. He knew deep down that Arthur wouldn't though. He would protect him till the end. That damn tea loving bastard. A scowl formed onto Alfred's face, a hate growing for Russia, and more specifically the Russian in front of him with that condescending smile on his face.

While waiting for the Brit to finish what he had to say, Ivan was studying the others' faces. The older one looked like a mixture of anger, worry, and uneasiness. But the younger one…his only emotion was anger. The Russian found himself interested in the little Amerikan. Ludwig was listening to the story with an almost bored expression on his face. He could care less what happened to these two. During dull parts in the conversation like this one, he would pass the time by thinking of something he needed to do – or rather someone.

Choosing his words carefully, Arthur continued his previous statement. "If you feel as though there should be some sort of discipline, then only take it out on me. Alfred is not to be harmed." He could feel the aura of defeat emanating off of him as he sat a little more limp in the chair. _For Alfred. This is for Alfred. I'm protecting him. He's worth it. _He could feel the disbelieving look his son was giving him. He could hardly bring himself to look his way, but he forced himself to. When he did, he tried to reassure his son with an apologetic look in eyes and a small, sad smile on his lips.

Alfred was all but gaping at his father. He knew it would be drastic but this…_This_ was worse. Much worse than what he had in mind. Small tears of anger and frustration pricked their way into his eyes. He clenched his free hand tightly to the point where little indents were sure to appear. There was no way in hell that he would leave his father to some creep like this, he'd rather die fighting. His thoughts of rage were interrupted by a chuckle. The Russian man rested an elbow on the arm of his chair and crossed his legs. Then he rested his chin upon his lazily balled fist.

"How precious," He said with a dark smile on his face, locking eyes with Arthur. "Willing to give up so much for your son." His words were punctuated by another laugh. "Arthur, is it?" He asked with a smile, this one seeming a little nicer.

"Y-yes. That's right. It's a relief you can empathize with me about-"

"However this is the Braginski household. And here only I make the deals. When I said I had one for you I _meant_ it. The only say you have is to agree or not." He said cutting in smoothly, a smirk forming on his face. A smirk Alfred wanted to punch straight off his face. Arthur cursed himself once again. _I walked right into that one…nice going Arthur, you prat._

A scoff came from the side of the room where the German stood. It was clear he was looking down on the two travelers for being stupid – or crazy – enough to barter with his master.

"Well then what-" Arthur began but was cut off yet once again.

"You have very simple choices." He started, "You have met Francis already. He used to be like you, Arthur. He has a son and was a normal person. Due to circumstances he and his son had a choice to make, much like the two of you. One had to change and leave their normal body and the other would stay the same."

Alfred listened in shock, no way was that talking candle-thing a person. Russia was creepier than he thought. He looked over at his dad in confusion. He just wanted to go home.

Arthur saw his son looking at him through the corner of his eye. In hopes of reassuring him, he gave his hand another squeeze – but this time his firm grip never loosened. Thinking to himself and looking back on how vividly animated the candelabra was it kind of made sense. _Just who is this person and what am I dealing with?_

"The person who changes has to stay here. The other can leave as he likes, but if he is gone for too long, then the transformed man will die." He said with a smile on his face. "If not, both of you are off to the dungeon to die. So," He said lightly, "Choose your fate."

"I'll do it. Let my son stay as he is." His face showed no signs of fear or regret as he spoke. Then he turned to his son. "I won't hold you accountable for your choice, Alfred. You can go back home whenever you wish. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he finished with a genuine heartfelt smile. Only Alfred could see through his dad's exterior to the sad look in his eyes.

Alfred winced from the sadness in Arthur's eyes. "Dad, no! I'm not going to leave you! What type of son would I be if I left you here to die..." He trailed off and gave Arthur an upset, fearful look. "You're not gonna stay with this creep!"

"What? Do you have no pride in your father? Respect his decision and be a man." Arthur and Alfred were shocked to hear anything come from the man's mouth that wasn't a noise.

"So be it. Beilschmidt, take the boy upstairs and leave him with Matvey. I will bring this one up with me later. You are dismissed."

"Dad..." Alfred whispered as he was brought up from his chair.

With that, Ludwig escorted the boy back upstairs. The boy didn't struggle like last time and he appeared to be stuck in a state of shock. As long as it made his job easier, the German could care less.

"I'm sorry, Alfred…" Arthur whispered to his son as he sat there looking defeated.

* * *

><p>Mathieu had been sent to his room by his papa. He was told to sleep, but he couldn't. The thought of his lookalike plagued his thoughts. He really hoped he would be alright and that Mister Braginski would let them go. He clutched his stuffed polar bear Kumajirou and buried his head in its large shoulder. Kumajohn was given to him by the messenger of the house, a gift for his usually forgotten birthday. He looked up just in time to see Ludwig open up the door and place the boy inside, closing the door behind them.<p>

"He will be staying with you until everything is sorted out. I am going to get his things." After giving the boy a little shove, the German strode out of the room as quickly as he came in.

Alfred stumbled a little and then stared at Mathieu with dull blue eyes and offered a half-smile.

Mathieu smiled, feeling relief that the other was pretty unscathed. "Hi, I'm Mathieu. You can call me Matt or Mattie or Matthew. Your name is Alfred, right?"

Alfred grunted, and sat down on the bed. "Is there seriously only one bed in here? They want us to split?" He asked looking around the neat room.

There was one large bed in the room, maybe a queen sized, and off the side stood a decent sized desk with some drawers on the underside. Books were atop of it but the majority of them were in the bookcase across the room. What fascinated Alfred the most was the old looking computer. It was in surprisingly good condition. A few paintings were on the wall and a hockey jersey was framed and signed by a person Alfred didn't know. It was almost like a standard teenager's room, except for the neatness. As he looked around, Matthew studied Al silently. He wasn't very surprised that Al would be put with him for a little while. He'd get his own room eventually, if he chose to stay and if Ivan was feeling generous. Either way, he was excited that he had own company.

"No way I'm gonna split a bed with some dude I don't know." Alfred said looking at Matthew stubbornly.

"You don't have much of a choice, eh? Besides, it's big enough for two people. We won't be close to each other at all while we sleep. I mean, if you don't sleep here, then where?" Matthew knew how the other boy must be feeling. The same thing had happened to him after all. He squeezed his polar bear while trying to figure out the best way to make Alfred feel a little better.

"H-Hey, Alfred. You don't have to worry about your papa. Everything will be okay."

Alfred snorted loudly and shot Matthew a harsh glare, "Yeah right! That bastard has my fuckin' _dad_." He said running his hand through his already messy hair, a habit he had picked up when was nervous.

Mathieu shrunk into his stuffed animal a little bit before responding. "Y-You're wrong…I do k know. My papa was taken from me too" He spoke softly. Not being able to bare the silence any longer, Mathieu tried to lighten up the atmosphere a little. "B-But only for a little bit."

Al looked over at him a little confused because of the sudden statement. "What?"

"He was only taken from me for a little bit. My papa. That's how I know that yours will be okay. S-So don't worry, okay?" He gave the other boy a little smile to let him know that he was being sincere and not just saying empty words.

Alfred felt a little wave of guilt as he realized he wasn't the only one who had been this..._ situation_. The feeling of sadness and frustration was stronger than the guilt, however. How dare his father do something so risky! Without even giving Alfred time to stop him at that. His shoulders slumped and he looked down. Did this mean his father was never going to look like a person again? Another wave of emotion. This time helplessness.

There was a sudden knock at the door and without waiting for an answer Ludwig briefly entered the room only to place the luggage inside. "Your father will not need his things, so I am giving them to you. Take what you need and put them away. I will collect the rest in the morning." Turning on his heel, he left the room quickly.

"_Bonne nuit, _Ludwig." Matthew said quietly just as the door finished closing.

Alfred just stood there looking at the luggage. He couldn't bring himself to move towards it as he stood there frozen in his place. Seeing his reaction, Mathieu quickly went over to the luggage and read the labels. Choosing Al's suitcase, he picked it up and placed it on the bed. Then he went to Al and took his hand in his gently, slowly bringing him towards the bed.

"Come on, Alfred. You have to change into your pajamas to get comfortable. Here. Let's go through your things together." Alfred came out of this frozen state a little and started to look through his things with Mattie. He wasn't really up to looking through anything right now but he wanted to get the easier part done and over with. It'd be hardest to go through Arthur's. Alfred already knew that the suitcase would be neatly packed, probably color coated as well. That was just an Arthur thing.

After they went through and picked out some night clothes, Mathieu gathered the rest of his clothes and put them away in some spare drawers in the bureau. "We can go through the other suitcase tomorrow if you want. I might be able to get Ludwig to change his mind about taking it away. Oh – do you want to change alone? I can step out of the room for a little while if you want."

Alfred shrugged softly, "Don't care," He said.

Although he didn't want to be alone at the moment he couldn't say that out loud. How pathetic would that be? He started with his sweatshirt first and worked his way down to his underwear then redressed in his nightclothes. He took the heap of cloths and looked at Matthew who had stayed.

"Where do I put these?"

Matthew smiled and took the clothes, "Laundry bin is right here." He said dropping them inside of said item.

Alfred nodded and went back to the bed and pulled the covers back slowly. He left the covers open for Matthew. He didn't really have enough energy to care about sharing a bed with him anymore. He just wanted to sleep and hopefully wake up from this nightmare. Matthew turned off the lights and adjusted to the darkness of the room before padding his way over to the bed. He crawled in, bringing along Kumajake, and pulled the covers over both of them.

"Y-You can hold onto my bear if you want to…" Mattie offered. Instead of answering, Alfred instinctively moved to the other heat source in the shared bed.

Matthew chewed at his lip, debating on what to do next. He remembered how he had felt when he went through the process. He was scared and never felt more alone. And worried. Swallowing down his fears he cautiously wrapped an arm around Al's shoulder and gingerly pulled him into an awkward hug that Alfred surprisingly didn't pull away from.

All Alfred could think about was how when he was in this soft, warm bed his dad was probably in unimaginable pain. The man that raised him, cared for him, and put up with all his shit. He hated this place. He hated Russia. He hated Braginski. And he hated his father for being so eager to sacrifice himself for his brat of a kid.

In the dead of the silence, a sniffle was heard. It wasn't loud or obnoxious. Just a small sniffle, one that said 'I'm not crying _damn it'. _Matthew looked down at Alfred in shock but tightened his hold on him and stroked his hair sympathetically.

"It's okay..." He murmured softly to his lookalike. "Everything will be fine…"

And Alfred just clung to Matthew's shirt and cried. He cried about how much of an asshole he was to his dad. He cried out his frustration and worry. He just cried. As little shakes and tremors racked throughout Alfred's lithe body, his companion just held him close, whispering comforting words.

"I know it'll be okay. You'll feel better in the morning. You'll see." He continued repeating the soothing words until Alfred finally drifted off into sleep. He wasn't sure if he should stay like he was or if he should move out of the embrace. Matthew didn't want his new companion to think anything bad or weird happened nor did he want the situation to seem awkward in the morning. As he moved to untangle himself from Alfred the other boy tightened his grip, preventing the two from separating.

Figuring that it was okay, Mattie curled up and made himself more comfortable. _This is kind of nice. It almost feels like I have a brother now… _

Not too long after, as he said those words to himself, Matthew quickly fell into a relaxed state of sleep.


	5. New Beginnings

**A/N: You guys are probably like _finally it updated! _Trust us, we are too .-. We didn't realize that it's been over a month since we last updated. A lot has been going on, but here's the longest chapter we've written so far. Hopefully that helps. There's also a question at the end, so if you aren't too pissed at us, we'd appreciate your input. Thank you for reading/reviewing/adding our story to favorites. We love you!**

**-Bee & Jay.**

**DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN ANYTHING SAVE FOR OUR CREATIVE WRITING AND IDEAS.**

* * *

><p>Arthur could hear his son's footsteps grow fainter as he sat in the dungeon with the Russian. To gather himself, he closed his eyes for a few seconds and then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Knowing this was as ready as he was going to get, he opened his eyes and stared directly into the purple eyes opposite him.<p>

"So how do we go about this then?" He just wanted to get this done and over with. He had a feeling that what was going to happen wouldn't necessarily be easy or without pain. Could this really even happen? Could an animate object be converted into an inanimate one? Not to his knowledge…not without dire consequences anyhow. Honestly, this whole thing worried him. How would he be able to function as a –whatever the hell this crazed bastard was going to turn him into? His thoughts continued like this until the other man spoke.

"Simple. I think of item. I turn you into that item. It will be very painful. Understand?" Ivan looked at him slightly amused by the English man initiating their deal.

Arthur thought about what was said for a moment and then continued the conversation. "I understand, but I've a question about this changing process. Do the amount of pain and the probability-say if I get changed back someday-that I return to my natural-self depend on what object I will be transformed into? Or does is not matter?"

"Da. It matters. You must be smart. No one has ever asked that question before." Now Braginski looked at his captive a little skeptically. What else did he know? Maybe things that would lead to the breaking of the curse, perhaps? That did not matter anyway. The deal was set. There was no going back on his word.

"Since you have the good knowledge you may be of use to me. I will change you into something portable. Shake my hand."

"What? Why on earth would I shake your bloody hand?" Arthur snorted and looked away from Ivan's outstretched arm.

"Are you not a man?" The tone behind the question was full of disdain.

"Wha- Of course I'm a bloody man! Who the hell are you to ask me that?" Arthur was outraged. What had he done that made him look like he wasn't a man?

"Men should be honorable. They shake hands when making deal. If you do not shake, you are not a man."

Art knew he had no other options to take. He would _have_ to shake hands with that git. It angered him, but even through that anger he realized the point the Russian was making. With an inward sigh, he admitted his defeat and stretched his own arm out to meet hands with the man across from him.

As soon as their hands were in a firm grip Arthur felt little tingles flow from Ivan's hand to his own. This feeling didn't hurt. No, not at all. In fact, it felt sort of interesting. It was almost like the good tingling feeling you get when your leg has fallen asleep. He was about to ask about the sensation but before he could, the feeling changed. Now it was the painful tingling. It felt like little needles were jabbing into his hand and coursing its way throughout his entire body. He tried to make a sound and found himself speechless. Making a noise was too much effort. He needed to save his energy for his transformation.

As if the pain wasn't strong enough another feeling ripped through his body. This one felt like his insides were being torn apart. Every little thing felt like it was being sliced without mercy. His muscles, ligaments, tissue and fat were pulled off of his bones and the pain was damn near unbearable. At this point he had stood up from his chair and was leaning forward on the table with his hand still locked with the other's. He was trying his best not to make noise and let the bastard who was doing this to him know how much it hurt, but in the end he couldn't hold it in any longer.

Crying out, he collapsed onto the table while his body shook uncontrollable. Soon afterwards he found himself on his knees with his free hand giving him support from the floor. Tears formed in his eyes while the pain continued to slash its way through his being. Using the last bit of strength he had, Arthur managed to look up at Ivan's face and asked him one question. The one question that he had forgot to ask earlier because he had gotten caught up in his stupid pride. The one question that mattered the most to him.

Ivan was surprised at how the man in front of him was taking the change. What shocked him even more was the fact that Arthur could form a sentence while undergoing such amounts of physical pain. After hearing the question, he only gave a slight nod as a response. The other man seemed to have seen it because he gave him a short, pain-filled smile and then muttered something along the lines of 'good'.

The Russian had to admit that he was a little puzzled. Why would Arthur be concerned about being able to see his son at a time like this? Was he an idiot?

The pain never ceased. It felt like this whole process had been going on for hours instead of minutes. _When will this be over?_ All Arthur could think about was his reason for agreeing to this. He created a happy place, if you will, to go to while this pain shredded his inside. Memories of happy thoughts spent with his son flashed through his mind and he tried to relive the feelings associated with each. Everything was going fine, if one could call this fine, when suddenly he felt the various bones in his hand start to break. His eyes widened in fear as he realized that this new feeling would soon radiate his entire body. Without having time to brace himself, the bones in his arms began to dislocate themselves from each other and snap in the places that seemed too big for a successful transformation. He yelled in agony at this point. He had never had to experience such a pain like this in his entire life. He wouldn't wish this sort of pain on anyone. Well…maybe to the tosser doing this to him now, but he was the only one.

Ivan continued to watch as the other man went through one of the final stages for becoming an object. All of these changes were alike. He had done a few beforehand, so he thought this one would be a bit boring. After watching Arthur he found that wasn't the case. This time it was interesting. He looked at the man struggling beneath him a chuckled to himself. _Such spirit. That is where the boy must get his from._ Thoughts of Alfred made him wonder a little more about the boy. No…that boy was definitely interesting to Ivan, but not in the same way Arthur was. There was something different about his feelings towards the younger boy. But thinking about that would have to come later.

Arthur could sense the presence of unconsciousness tugging on what little strength he had left. His arms, ribs, and spinal cord were already broken so the worse was over. Actually, at that moment, he started to feel the same tingling feeling he started out with followed by numbness. It felt pretty damned good compared to the hell he had just gone through. He decided that it would be best to just slip into the first stages of passing out. As he drowned out the background images and the Russian man, Arthur began to feel like he was falling backwards into nothingness. He found this quite relaxing, so he made no effort to stop this feeling of bliss.

After he had passed out, it only took another five minutes to fully transform him into a miniature version of a grandfather clock. Ivan then strolled up the stairs, Arthur in hand, and went to go find the French candelabra. Upon finding him, he set Arthur down and turned to leave the room.

Over his shoulder, he called out to Francis. "Watch over him. He is now your responsibility." And with that, Braginski disappeared from the view.

Francis looked at the unconscious clock that was once a man like himself once upon a time. "Je suis desolé, mon ami. This is probably the best way to save your son."

Determining that nothing could be said or done until the other regained consciousness, Francis thought it best to just leave things the way they were until morning. Hopefully things would turn out alright.

* * *

><p>Alfred's eyes fluttered open, only to see a blur, then closed again trying to get used to the light that filtered the room. He was warm but the air around him felt crisp. That was strange, he and his father always kept the hotel rooms at a more comfortable temperature. Alfred nuzzled into the soft duvet that smelled almost sweet. Then he felt something move around him. The lump of heat pulled him closer, making Alfred's eyes snap open. He ignored the burning sensation he got from his eyes and stared at the soft, sleeping face of a boy near his age. He jumped and began to struggle in the grasp, trying to get away and not wake the boy at the same time. His bedmate automatically reacted, as if this sort of movement happened regularly and brought up a hand to pat his back lazily, still asleep.<p>

At first Alfred was tense from the touch, but his memory of Arthur doing the same thing bubbled to the surface. The younger Alfred had a bad case of nightmares long ago. When he'd wake up kicking and screaming, Arthur would come rushing into the room, taking the small boy into his arms. Alfred could remember the soft murmurs and the lullabies he'd sing to him. And how he'd rub his back soothingly till Alfred stopped crying and slowly fell back to sleep.

A smile formed on his lips before he remembered exactly why he was in this bed with this guy...Matt, was it? Alfred flopped his head onto the pillow and gnawed at his lower lip. That's right. They were at some creepy castle with some creepy Russian guy. And his dad was MIA at the moment. He groaned loudly, causing Matthew to wake up. The blue-purple eyes were hazed with sleep but gentle all the same. He patted Al's back again.

"Comment vas-tu aujourd'hui?" He asked tiredly, accidently slipping into French due to his groggy state.

Alfred stared at him blankly, "_What?_"

Matthew gave him a questioning look before catching his mistake. "Oh! Sorry. I asked how you are today." He smiled sheepishly, making Alfred feel a little calmer.

"Ah...I'm uh...I'm okay." He said with a small, slightly forced smile.

"That's good. Well since we're up we should wash up and go have some breakfast. Are you hungry?"

It was then Alfred realized how long it'd been since he'd eaten. His metabolism was naturally fast and it had been hours since the McDonalds. "Yeah, I could eat." He said pulling away from Matthew.

"Okay, follow me." Matt instructed as he pushed the covers off of himself and rose from the bed. Walking over to the bureau, he took out a handful of clothes and set them on the desk that was already littered with books. Glancing back to Alfred, he gave a small smile and indicated for his roommate to do the same.

"Do you have a toothbrush in your suitcase? If not, there are plenty of new ones to choose from here."

Alfred mumbled something and went to retrieve his toothbrush sluggishly, not really in the mood to start the day.

"I'll be right back." Matthew quietly left the room, pulling the door almost shut as he made his way down the hall. He returned within three minutes and gathered his things before they walked towards the bathroom. Moving inaudibly like he had just a few minutes ago, Matt opened the door that led to a long hallway. They made a right and walked two doors down to stand in front of a huge bathroom. Whoever designed this place must have been out of their mind. The bathroom was almost the size of a normal bedroom. Inside there was a double sink along with two showers that were back-to-back. On the other side of the bathroom there was a huge bathtub big enough for three people. Despite the duplicates of everything else, there was only one toilet. Mattie's things were found on the left side of the sink, which left the right for Alfred.

Alfred stared in awe, why on earth was this place so _huge?_ It was a damn bathroom for Marvel's sake! That Russian guy was loaded, Al decided as he stared around. Everything was kept orderly and clean, but somehow it wasn't like a hotel. The bathroom didn't reek of air freshener trying to cover the smell of cleaning products, leaving a stale smell that made him crinkle his nose.

"This is the bathroom. Since I'm the only one on this section of the floor, I'm the only one who uses it. I It's big enough to share though. I-I don't mind if you share it with me. You can even have your own sink and shower! I-If that's o-okay…" Matthew was already speaking in a gentle voice, but by the time he was finished speaking his voice was hardly a whisper. He fidgeted a little because he didn't know how his guest would respond to sharing not only a bedroom, but a bathroom too. Well…the bedroom was only a temporary solution at the moment so technically they would only have to share a bathroom. And that was only if he was assigned to this part of the house.

Alfred felt a little bad by the time Matthew's voice was so quiet. "Dude, s'fine." he said shrugging. Of course, it wasn't all that easy. He was going to share a bed and a bathroom with some dude he just met last night. He would've complained to his new roommate but he couldn't find the heart to do it. Matthew was playing with his fingers awkwardly as he explained. Alfred's eyes swept over the bathroom. It wasn't totally weird taking a shower with another person doing the same. It was like going to the locker room at the gym. Minus the guys who liked to compare the not-so-private-anymore areas. Wait, Matthew wouldn't want to do that, right? Alfred clicked his tongue, of course Matthew wouldn't. The teenager was having a hard time explaining the bathroom set up.

"Okay. If you have to use the toilet then I'll step out for a minute first. I already went when I left the room earlier. When you're done I'll show you how to work the shower. That side of the sink is all yours, so you can put your stuff down over there. Let me know when you're all done, okay?" Mattie smiled as he placed his own belongings on his side of the sink and exited the bathroom.

Alfred grunted in response and waved at him. He set his things upon his designated side and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't look half bad. The bruises weren't too serious and most of them weren't near his face. His eyes threw him off, though. They were puffy and the whites of the blue were a little red from the previous night. He groaned and hoped that the shower would help them look normal before walking away and relieving himself. When he was finished he turned off the water to his sink and knocked on the door. "Matt, you can come in."

Matthew reopened the door and closed it behind him. He walked over to Al's shower and pointed at the different knobs. "Okay. These two knobs right here control the hot and cold temperatures." Moving his arm slightly upwards, he pointed to the next item. "This lever controls whether or not you want both shower heads on or off. Moving it to the left makes the top shower head active. If you turn it all the way to the right, the bottom shower head comes on. Leaving it in the middle means both of them are on." Looking over his shoulder, he looked up into Al's face to make sure he understood how the shower worked. Seeing that he was having no problem keeping up, Mattie continued. "The last things are the actual shower heads themselves. First of all, they have built in massagers and are detachable. When you pull one out of its holding place, you can see the different types of water flow that you can have. The way you change them is to turn this outer piece of the shower head to whichever option you want." Placing the shower head back, Matthew straightened himself out and gave Al a smile. "That's how the shower works. They're actually really nice. Do you have any questions?"

"Uh...N'ah, seems like I can handle it." He said looking at the shower slowly. "S'pretty complicated for a shower but I've got it, thanks." he said looking over at Matthew, giving him a small smile.

"Good. Just one more thing…"

Walking over to the closet by the door, Matthew pulled out two towels and two washcloths. He handed a pair to Alfred and showed him where he could hang his towel in order to reach it from the shower. Going over to his side of the shower, Mattie placed set up his towel, adjusted the water settings and began to take his clothes off. He was really nervous because he didn't know if Alfred would be one of those people who would make fun of his soft, feminine features. To avoid the possibility of making eye contact, Matthew just turned and faced the other direction. This way it also wouldn't seem like he was creepy or looking at Alfred strip. Completely naked, he quickly stepped into his shower and let the water pound away at his back.

Alfred turned so his back faced Matthew and he tugged off his shirt first, doing it smoothly and quickly. He did the same with his other garments which would've gone easier if he didn't stumble getting his left foot free from his sweatpants of doom. He cursed quietly and finished stripping naked before jumping into the hot shower. The perfectly pressured jets shot water into all the right places. The water seemed to work out knots and kinks were worked out that Al didn't even know existed. "Shit…" Al said lowly. He hummed quietly to himself as he began to do his normal shower routine in the blissful steam.

After washing his body along with his hair, Matthew stepped out of the shower ten minutes later. He could still hear Al's shower running when he turned his off and he let out a little sigh of relief. Wrapping the towel around himself, he exited the shower and moved towards the closet again. He grabbed a bottle of lotion and brought it to the sink, placing it in the middle. Then he reached for his toothbrush and began to brush his teeth.

Even after he was finished brushing his teeth, Alfred still wasn't finished in the shower. _He must really be enjoying that shower…_ Mattie smiled to himself and reached for the lotion. Another five minutes went by and now Matthew had started putting on his clothes. While slipping on his grey sweatpants, he began to wonder if Alfred was okay. It had already been around twenty-five minutes. Dressed only in his sweatpants, Mattie hesitantly made his way towards his roommate's shower. Standing next to the wall and reaching around with his hand, he knocked on the shower door.

"H-Hey…uhm, A-Alfred. A-Are you okay? You've been in there for a while."

Alfred had lost track of time. He jumped and shut off the water, then leaned out of shower. "Oh! Oh sorry 'bout that Mattie…" He said sheepishly. "Hand me my towel?" He asked, his mood lightened immensely from the wonderful shower.

Matthew's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Alfred's body. "Y-Yeah…the s-showers here are really something…" When he realized he was just staring, he tried to focus his gaze anywhere but his roommate and hurriedly reached for the towel. Practically throwing the item in other's face, Mattie turned to face the other way. This didn't prove to be helpful however since the huge mirror above the double sinks was only partially steamy and Alfred could still easily be seen. He decided that facing the toilet would be the best thing to do since it also hid his bright red face.

"Thanks." He said wrapping it around his waist before stepping out the shower. "I uh...Well got sorta caught up in your shower." He said turning so his back faced Matthew. He pulled the towel off and began to dry his hair, doing his locker room dry off routine. He placed the towel back around his waist and turned to grab the lotion.

"So we're gonna go grab some food...You think my dad will be there?" He asked quietly.

Hearing that question allowed Matthew's body to calm down. It seemed that Alfred didn't think much about letting other people see him naked. He felt a wave of relief rush through him. Now things wouldn't seem awkward between them like he thought they would. His face gradually changed back to its normal color and then Matthew turned around to answer him.

"Well…It depends on how well he responded to the transformation… He won't feel hungry anymore, but that doesn't mean he won't come down for our meal times. I have a feeling he's with my papa, so don't worry. He's not alone. Plus he seems like a strong guy...and anyone can tell how much he loves you. I think he will be there." He finished with a genuine smile that was so contagious Alfred couldn't help but smile back.

Matthew showed Alfred where the toothpaste was kept and where to store his things while putting on his shirt. After Alfred was finished getting ready, they both headed down the hall.

"How old are you anyways?"

"Oh. I'm 19." Matthew said smiling. "My birthday's in July."

"Well shit. You're older than me. Only by two years though. My birthday's in July too, ya know. The fourth." He said this with a small beam of pride.

"Wow. I'm on the first….weird." He said with a shrug while they continued on their way to get some food.

* * *

><p>Feli slowly started to wake up when he felt his mattress shift as the body next to him got out of the bed. He watched as Ludwig silently gathered his clothes to put them on again. Since the sun didn't shine through his curtains it must have still been early. The only sound in the room was the rustling of Ludwig's clothes. Feli smiled to himself as he watched the other dress. He really enjoyed the nights when the older man decided to stay with him. Last night he was pretty upset about the visitors possibly being punished and not being able to eat his yummy pasta, so Ludwig stopped by his room after he was dismissed from Ivan.<p>

Now Ludwig turned back towards the bed, partially dressed. His pants were on, but his button-down shirt was left open. He walked over to the bed and bent down to place a small, chaste kiss on the other's forehead, thinking he was still fast asleep. He stood up and cleared his throat loud enough to make the Italian stir.

"Feliciano. Wake up. You have to go start breakfast soon."

With that, Feli acted like he was just now waking up. He sat up slowly and squinted his eyes as he rubbed them with the back of his hand. After a few moments, he let out a small yawn and then smiled up at Ludwig.

"Buongiorno, Ludwig" he said in a sleepy tone.

The German had been around him long enough to understand basic Italian phrases and just nodded his head as a reply. He started to leave the room and was about to exit the room when he felt Feli clutching onto his arm. He knew what he wanted, but sometimes he just liked it when he begged him for something. Half way turning, he looked down with a questioning expression plastered on his face.

"What is it?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You forgot to something! You usually do but sometimes you forget and this time is one of those times! Ludwiggg…" he whined as he tugged on his sleeve.

"What did I forget, Feliciano? What do you want?" He now asked with a hint of seduction in his voice.

"You always give me a kiss..." He trailed off and gave Ludwig a look of a puppy. "Give one to me?"

Satisfied with that answer, he bent down and kissed Feli's cheek only to hear a disappointed huff. A smile spread across his face and then he moved to his lips. His kiss was firm and possessive, but Feliciano didn't seem to mind, especially when the kiss was deepened. After a while the kiss was broken and his breathing was a little ragged as he started up at Ludwig with a happy smile on his face. Ludwig offered a small smirk before letting go of him and leaving the room.

After watching him disappear down the corridor, he decided it would be best to get the day started. He grabbed his bathroom necessities as he made his way to the bathroom. He contemplated what he should make for breakfast when he was in the shower. Not really being able to decide, he figured to just go with whatever fresh ingredients were available. Today was the day for a new array of fresh vegetables. His big brother had left yesterday to go to the gardener's farm and spend the day harvesting the crops. By today, he would be back. He smiled to himself and finished his morning routine before heading downstairs to begin breakfast.

He hummed an Italian tune as he walked down the corridor to the kitchen, budding with his daily excitement. He loved to cook, making morning and dinner dishes were always his favorite. His mind wandered to if there'd be a big batch of tomatoes this harvest. Feliciano knew that their gardener loved them with a passion, and he was almost positive that his brother would get first pick of the tomatoes he personally wanted. This didn't bother Feliciano, because he knew that his brother may act like he didn't like it but not so below the surface he did.

Feliciano had already started breakfast when he heard a cheery voice entering the kitchen.

"Hola Feli!" A tanned male said with mirth. In his arms he held a basket of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The Spanish man, Antonio, had dark brown hair that always seemed to be perfectly messy. His bangs didn't hide his bright forest-like eyes that seemed to hold hope within them. He was taller than most, but his body was solid and made up of only muscle from working in the garden and helping tend to the grounds.

"Ciao Toni." He said with a sing-song voice.

Feliciano turned to see his brother fumbling with some of the spices as he walked in. "Buongiorno Lovino." He called to his elder brother.

"Veniciano, the fuck is the oregano? We just brought some three days ago." The older brunette asked.

"Lovi, you should be nicer to your brother." Antonio teased softly, only to be given a warning glare from the Italian.

Feliciano smiled brightly, "The third cabinet to the left." He said walking over to the stove. His brother's rash comment was the equivalent of a 'Hello, good morning.' He wasn't going to argue with that.

Lovino placed the bin with the spices down on the counter and then moved over to the cabinet to search for the oregano. He mumbled to himself while he pushed the spices around in the cabinet.

Just then, Ludwig entered the kitchen. He had already spoken with Ivan and knew what needed to be done for the day, so he figured he'd check in on Feliciano. When he saw Antonio his back stiffened a little and he quickly made his way over to stand next to his Italian. He protectively put his arm around the other's waist and pulled him close and bent down to kiss him on the cheek while keeping his eyes locked with the Spaniard's.

Feliciano was smiling brightly and pressed himself against Ludwig's strong chest and looked to Romano who had a sour look upon his face but chose to say nothing. The younger Italian ignored the look and turned around to face the taller male. "Ciao!" He sang, beaming a smile that was only for Ludwig. It wasn't rare for Ludwig to kiss him when Antonio was in the room, though he never seemed to know why.

Antonio could practically feel the tension in the air. He gave the German a weak smile accompanied with a small nod. Then he turned around and continued unloading the bins."Lovi, did you bring the basil with you? I thought you grabbed that bin…" Antonio said looking around for said item.

Lovino paused for a second and thought about the contents of the bin he chose to bring. He quietly cursed to himself when he remembered that he had taken the basil out of the bin and added the crushed peppers instead. His face turned red with frustration and embarrassment so he pushed his face further into the cabinet.

"Why would I bring the stupid basil? It's not like Feli uses it all the time. We have plenty of fucking spices. Let him pick one of those."

Ludwig scoffed at Lovino's answer but Feliciano just grinned and waved off the comment.

"It's okay Toni. He's right you know. I don't really use it, so it's okay if you don't have it."

Antonio mockingly rolled his eyes at Lovino and chuckled. "Ah, no problemo." He said lightly. "I'll go grab it. Play nicely you two." He said before walking out of the tense atmosphere and heading towards the door.

"How was the harvest yesterday, Lovi?" He always asked his brother questions like this even though he knew the response wouldn't be all that great.

"What do you think? Can't you see all the food? It was fine." He answered sharply while he put away the newly bought spices into their allotted places.

"Well that's good. What do you think I should make for breakfast this morning?"

"I don't know. Whatever you want, I guess." His voice sounded a little vacant this time and Feli could tell there was something on his mind. He moved closer to him and threw an arm around his shoulder.

Feliciano gazed back to Ludwig with a pleading look and the German briefly disappeared from the kitchen.

"Hey, Lovino, what's wrong? Whatever the problem is I can help. I can try to at least. What is it? Is it Toni? Did you do something? Is he mad about the basil? I don't think he's mad at you about the basil. It's okay, really it is. How were things yesterday? Did something happen? Tell meeee." He whined at his brother and tugged at his sleeve.

Lovino tried to shrug him off but wasn't successful so he just gave up. After a few moments of his silence and Feli's nagging, he decided to speak.

"I'm okay Feliciano. It just sucks that – I'm upset about the basil. It's nothing, don't worry about it." He said quietly as he moved away to finish with the seasonings."Lovi, it's okay. I'm not mad at you or anything. You know Toni isn't mad at you either. You don't have to be sad." Feliciano moved to where his brother was and tightly hugged him from behind. Lovi sighed and let his brother continue to hug him. He enjoyed it, but he wouldn't let Feli know that.

Feli smiled when his brother didn't break away. As he hugged him he thought of what to go along with the already baking goods. Breakfast would be simple today. He had fresh pastries in the oven that he'd fill with chocolate or cream. Though he kept some plain for those who didn't want any. Mainly a special German. There would be freshly cut fruit and plenty of coffee and espresso for everyone and hot chocolate for Matthew. Wait, there was another boy now. So that meant two hot chocolates, he thought to himself.

Voices were then heard and it sounded like they were coming towards the kitchen. Lovino quickly shook his brother off of him and mumbled something about being stupid while moving to the other side of the kitchen. Then he saw Matthew walk in with another boy with blonde hair. He was a little shocked to see how alike the two of them looked.

Feli turned around and smiled at the two boys before greeting them.

"Ciao Matthew! Ciao boy who looks very similar to Matthew!" He said cheerfully. He turned to Lovino, seeing his confused face. "Oh?" He almost asked to himself. "I forget to tell you, _fretello_." He began, "This is Matthew's...What's the word..Dop...Uh.." He trailed off trying to think.

"Doppelganger is what you're looking for." Ludwig said as reentered the kitchen and compared the two boys standing side by side.

"Yeah! His doppelganger came here last night with his papa! And Matthew's doppelganger-"

"My name's Alfred." Alfred cut in frowning from his new title.

Ludwig shot Alfred a warning glare to let him know he didn't like it when people cut Feliciano off. The teen stiffened a little when his eyes caught sight of the German.

"Ah, sorry. Alfred and his papa made the deal with Signore Braginski. And he's rooming with Matthew now! It's amazing how related they look! Almost like twins except Matthew's a little taller than Alfred." He said smiling proudly at his storytelling abilities.

Alfred smiled awkwardly. "Yeah that's me." He said fidgeting with the slightly frayed edge of his sweater that was a little too big. After he had gotten dressed he realized he was still cold in the house and grabbed a sweater from a suitcase.

"Hi Lovino. Anything new happen in the past three days?" Matt asked with a smile on his face. He liked the older Italian brother. They had had their share of decent conversations in the past.

"Why the hell does everyone think something happened? Nothing happened!" He gritted between his teeth.

Matthew threw his hands up in front of him as to say he meant no offense and laughed to himself as he turned to Feli. "What are we having for breakfast this morning? We're pretty hungry."

Feli picked up a rather large knife making Ludwig smirk at how the knife seemed bigger than the man holding it. "Fruit and filled pastries!" He chimed and then turned to Alfred. "I could make you some boiled eggs if you want." He said innocently, grabbing some of the fresh fruit.

Alfred opened his mouth to answer but didn't have the chance to say anything before Matthew intervened.

"He'll eat what we're eating, Feli. Don't think of him as a kid. Right, Alfred?" Matthew added before turning to Al and gently nudging him in his side. He knew Alfred would be a little confused about the conversation, so for right now he just offered him a quick wink followed by a small smile.

Alfred looked confused for a few moments but shook off the feeling and looked about the kitchen. He avoided the gaze of the German deliberately.

Feliciano laughed, "I was kidding!" He said lightly as he skinned and diced the fruit up expertly. "Lovino can you get started on the espresso? I already started the coffee. What'll you have Alfred? I figure I'll make you hot chocolate because that's what Matthew has all the time and he likes it a lot. Also you're still growing so you don't need any caffeine to stunt your growth so I guess that's just what I'll give you anyway." He said not bothering for Al's response.

Alfred was too surprised by the Italians chatter and didn't bother to reply, he only shifted from one foot to the other as he watched the chef move around the kitchen effortlessly while his grumpy brother deftly started up one of the nice looking machines. He couldn't help but think that the older one, Lovino, would be a good coffee maker at Starbucks. But he got the feeling this guy wasn't too costumer friendly.

"I'm back." Said a voice from behind that Alfred didn't know. He turned and saw a man with a Spanish accent who was setting some green things on the counter. He looked up and saw the new person and then his gaze went back to Matthew, then back to him. "Que?"

Alfred chewed his lip. This would be a long, awkward morning.

Feliciano was about to start up on his story again but Matthew quickly cut him off. "This is Alfred. He came here yesterday with his papa who made the deal with Mr. Braginski. Now he's my roommate. Feli calls him my doppelganger." Not he turned to Alfred. "This is Antonio. He's the gardener here and he does other outside work. Lovino is usually the one who helps him."

"Oh. Hola, Alfred. It's nice to meet you." Antonio smiled softly while he spoke.

He smiled and gave Antonio a small wave. "Heya." He said relaxed by the calm voice.

"We're going to go into the dining room to wait for the food to be done. Come on, Alfred." Matthew said as he lightly tugged Al's sleeve.

They left the kitchen and the tension between Ludwig and Antonio started up again, though this time there wasn't much. Tonio picked up the basil and moved to the stand by Lovino. He handed him the basil with a smile on his face causing the older Italian to form a slight blush. Lovi took the basil and placed it in the cabinet. Tonio kept his attention on Lovino and tried to avoid any possible confrontations with the German.

Ludwig watched Antonio for a bit before he broke the silence. "You're task is finished. Go wait in the dining room with the others." The remark was undoubtedly directed towards the Spaniard.

"Don't fucking tell him what to do, you potato bastard. Why are _you_ still here?" Lovino interjected angrily as he stared at Ludwig. The German just smirked at him and then said, "I overlook everything and everyone here. _That _is my job. Do not question me."

By now Feliciano had stopped what he was doing and tried to keep the peace between the other three.

"I was wondering what I should make for dinner tonight. With Alfred here I really don't know what he likes and it would be very sad if he didn't like what I made. Maybe I should make something spicy. Do you think Alfred likes spicy?" He began to ramble in hopes of easing the tension. "Because I don't like it very much and neither do the others. I wonder where they are right now, the others." He said trailing off softly when Antonio opened his mouth to speak.

"No, it's alright, Feli. Lovi, I'll save you a seat, si?" That said, he made his way towards the dining room. Lovino continued to glare at the German bastard while he moved around the kitchen helping his brother finish making breakfast. Ludwig just grinned at him and then resumed watching Feliciano work.

* * *

><p>Arthur opened his eyes slowly and winced a little at the pain he still felt throughout his body. After adjusting to the light, he looked around to assess his surroundings. He was in a huge room, it maybe it just seemed that way because of his small size. The drapes on the windows were pulled and through them many trees could be seen. He had to admit it was a beautiful view. He almost yelled out to Alfred to get his camera and take a picture, but then he remembered the reason for why his body ached. To his right was the door, presumably to the hallway. When he looked to his right he was startled by the sight of the candelabra known as Francis. <em>Oh right. I was bunked with this plonker. <em>He mentally rolled his eyes as he looked at the object before him. This man emitted a pretentious attitude even when he was a candle holder so Arthur couldn't imagine he was in real life. _Insufferable, I would say. _He could feel his attitude starting to get worse when Francis cleared his throat.

"_Bonjour!" _He said cheerily, a smile etched onto his face. "You have seemed to come out not nearly as dull as I thought you would. But it _is_ certainly humorous. Who would think Braginski would turn you into an English clock? That clever bastard." He continued lightly, "You'll be sore for a few days but I'm sure _you're_ used to being sore for a few days." He broke off to laugh at his joke.

Arthur scowled but he knew that Francis was his only way to navigate through this mansion and learn the 'rules' around here. Swallowing his pride he curtly answered, letting his disdain seep into his words. "I'm fine. What time is it and when can I go see Alfred?"

"Votre fils?You can see him whenever you are ready to. You woke up sooner than I thought you would. It's only breakfast." He hummed, "I should check the time just to make sure though." He hopped next to Arthur and stared at his abdomen and read the time with a coy smile on his face. "I was right of course; it is only time for breakfast. Then the others start their job or lounge around."

Arthur gave him a questioning look. "Others? You mean there are more people living here? Well, I do suppose that this place would need a whole crew of people to keep it running. Alright then. How do I get to the kitchen? Or wherever you people eat." He muttered quite aggravated.

Francis' face grew serious as he continued to stare at Arthur. His eyes were empathetic. "I know very well that he really wants to see you right now. Mathieu was just like that when I was changed. My boy is very sweet and he's looking over yours. He'll do a perfect job. You have no need to worry." He said softly.

Arthur looked back to Francis with a blank face. He gave a short nod and then tried standing up. After a few hesitant efforts, he was finally able to stand up straight. Next was to practice moving the stubby little nubs that were supposed to be his feet. When he could function enough without falling over, he gestured to the other that he was now ready to leave. "We can see our boys now, right? Let's be on our way then, shall we?"

"Ah! _C'est vrai._ We can go see them at breakfast. This way, limey." He said making his way to a door. "You will be able to meet some of the others there as well. Breakfast and dinner are when we come together. Lunch is on your own." He said sagely. "Though we don't have the need to eat or drink, it's still nice to be with everyone."

"Watch it, frog. Your incessant name calling is severely childish and you need to act your age, whatever that is. You're probably an old arse with wrinkled skin. He said with satisfaction due to the scorn clearly written on Francis' face.

Francis continued to stare incredulously at Arthur. The other couldn't hold back any longer a let his sneer break his otherwise blank façade. Outraged, Francis abruptly turned around and headed towards the door. If he were human, Arthur swore he would have been stomping the whole way. _Well that certainly made me feel a bit chuffed. _He smiled to himself as he tried to follow the angry French candelabra through the hallways.

* * *

><p>Back in the dining room only Alfred, Matthew, and Antonio were at the table. The atmosphere was relaxing because of the lightly flowing conversation being held. It wouldn't be long before everyone sat down and began to eat.<p>

Matthew slightly turned to his look-a-like and made sure he had his attention before talking. His voice no higher than a whisper, he told Alfred of the other people who could also be attending breakfast. "Well of course Feliciano and Lovino will be here, but not Ludwig. He doesn't eat with us unless Feli really _really _wants him to. Obviously Tonio will be here. Lovino usually sits next to him. Then we have Elizaveta and Toris. Toris is Mr. Braginski's personal servant, so you may not see him so much. Elizaveta is sort of like the mother figure around here. She's really nice. You'll like her, I think. I'm not sure if she's coming though." He trailed off for a second to see if Alfred was keeping up with the information. "Am I confusing you or saying too much?" He asked cautiously.

Alfred shook his head rapidly. "N'ah I'm keepin' up." He said truthfully, playing with the edge of his sweater. "Mattie, you hardly said anythin'. I mean I've been around some talkers in my life and you sure ain't one of 'em." He said nudging him playfully.

His mind drifted to Elizaveta. As a child, it was always just him and his father as far as Alfred could remember. Well, there were always flickers of the orphanage in his memory but those were pretty hazy. It wasn't that he didn't think his father was enough. He was more than enough and seemed to do a great job raising him, yet he always wondered what it'd be like to have a mother type figure around him.

"Well yeah. That's because I only really talk to the people I like." He said jokingly while pushing him back. "Back to what I was saying. There aren't many of us here, but we all help each other out and act like a family. You'll be able to see for yourself if you choose to stay for a while. You don't have to worry about not fitting in either. Just tell me if someone is giving you trouble. I have your -" He trailed off as he eyes became glued to the doorway of the dining room. Alfred furrowed his eyebrows at the sudden stop of the other's words and followed his line of sight until his gaze landed on the doorway.

Alfred watched with wide eyes as the candelabra and a small miniature grandfather clock walked into the room. The scene sounded like it should have been something taken straight from a comedy and yet he lacked any feelings of humor. His bright blue eyes followed the two small figures as they hurried their way over to him and Matthew. The clock couldn't have been his…His father. A tremor of fear ran down his spine. It would only make sense for an English man to turn to a clock, he thought to himself grimly.

The two figures finally arrived to the table and Matthew picked up his father and placed him in front of him on the table before hesitantly doing the same for Arthur.

"Dad?" Alfred's voice came out weak and cracked slightly.

"Alfred." He said hesitantly as he slowly made his way over to him. "How are you? Are you hurt? Are you okay?" He asked with concern in his eyes.

"You're alive an' okay…I mean you're a clock and shit but that doesn't mean that you aren't okay right? It probably sucks cause now your legs are so stubby and you'll trip over useless shit and you know I didn't know if you were gonna come back. It's sorta scary but that's okay cause you're not a demon or a ghost and those are only scary at night so we're really okay and-"

"Alfred. It's okay. I'm okay. It seems like you're doing quite fine as well." He noted with relief. Arthur knew if he didn't stop his son's ramblings then no one would. "It was worth it, you know. Even if that bloody knob head turned me into this. Don't feel bad. I know you were worried but it was nothing. Hardly felt a thing actually. I was more concerned about you." He moved closer to Alfred and waited for a response. It was then when he looked at what Alfred was wearing. It shocked him to be honest. "Alfred…are you wearing one of my sweaters?" He asked cautiously. "It looks nice on you."

"Dad…" Alfred whispered before rapping his arms around the figure tightly, seeking comfort from his father. Arthur stifled a groan at the tightness of the hug but ignored the pain and focused on being with his son. "Sorry I took it without askin'." he whispered into the hug.

After the embrace reluctantly ended, Arthur faced Matthew and gave him a smile. "Thank you for watching over him. I appreciate it."

Mattie shook his head from side to side. "You don't have to thank me. I'm glad to help." He said offering an honest smile.

After a few minutes, Feliciano and Lovino made their way into the dining room with the food on platters. Feli sat down at the table while his brother went back into the kitchen to bring out the pots of coffee and the other drinks. As the older brunette sat down in between Antonio and his brother, Toris walked into the dining room. To any further awkward situations, Francis greeted Toris and explained who the new object was as well as his son.

"Toni!" Francis waved at him merrily. "This is Arthur. He's _English_." For a moment, he and Antonio share a brief look of shared feelings towards the English. He then turned to the others and continued his explanation. "But for a flavorless fool, he isn't that terrible."

Antonio laughed lightly, "_Hola_ Arthur." He said in a lightly, his voice no longer strained from his encounter with Ludwig. "Nice to meet you. I'm Antonio and this is Lovino." He said nudging Lovino playfully.

Feliciano waved excitedly, "I'm Feliciano, but you can call me Feli if you'd like!"

"Do you know if Elizaveta is coming down for breakfast today, Toris?" Matthew asked softly.

Toris smiled at Mathew gently. "Not right now. She and Feliks got into a debate about something so she'll be down for dinner." He said in a gentle voice. He smiled to Alfred, "Nice to meet you, Alfred."

Alfred waved and smiled, feeling more at ease with his father by his side. His eyes darted back to his father as he fiddled with the hem of Arthur's old sweater, feeling cozy and warm at one of the biggest, homiest breakfasts he had ever had.

"D'accord. Bon appetite, everyone! Enjoy your breakfast!" Francis said vivaciously.

Soon the room was filled with voices and occasional laughter could be heard.

* * *

><p>Ivan sat at his chess table, moving one of the pieces strategically. He wasn't doing as well as usual this morning. He couldn't focus on the game before him because his mind continued to drift to that boy's father, Arthur. He was the best one to react to transforming out of everyone so far. But what interested him was the selflessness he had for his son.<p>

_Crying out, he collapsed onto the table while his body shook uncontrollable. Soon afterwards he found himself on his knees with his free hand giving him support from the floor. Tears formed in his eyes while the pain continued to slash its way through his being. Using the last bit of strength he had, Arthur managed to look up at Ivan's face and asked him one question. The one question that he had forgot to ask earlier because he had gotten caught up in his stupid pride. The one question that mattered the most to him at that moment. "Will Alfred be able to recognize me when this is settled?" He gasped for air in between each word as he spoke._

"Strange…" He mumbled to himself, moving a pawn. All the others had screamed or asked for it to stop and yet this one had not. And that was what fascinated him. That type of personality must've been passed down to his son.

The boy had wheat hair and eyes the color of the sky. His attitude, much like his father had already peaked his curiosity. Albeit the boy probably had the skill to annoy Ivan to no end, he was intriguing. The first American to ever come to his residence… And now he was to stay. Ivan smirked. The boy was obviously far too attached to his father to even dare think about leaving. He doubted that the American would be good for anything, so he'd have to stick him with that one boy who Ivan could never be bothered with to remember at the moment. Ivan took his cup of strong tea and sipped it. Toris, his personal servant, always made really tasteful cups of tea. But he was always jittery around Ivan, especially when he wasn't with that loud mouthed wardrobe.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and guessed that the others would be getting ready to eat breakfast. He leaned back in his chair and wondered if Arthur would be strong enough to attend. However, it was of no consequence. He would need to meet with Ivan later on in the day no matter how he felt. Come to think of it, Ivan wanted to speak to Alfred as well. He wanted to see what kind of person he was and if he would be of any use. Probably not, he thought to himself. But maybe he could find some pleasure in teasing the boy and riling him up a bit. He smirked to himself and decided that after meeting with Arthur, he would make Alfred spend time with him. This could be entertaining. A mischievous smile broke out on Ivan's face as he sat up and placed a chess piece on the board, claiming check mate.

**A/N: Hey guys. Sorry about the long wait. It should be better from now on since school is almost over~ We usually don't ask for review, but we want to know what you think. We mentioned Elizaveta in this chapter but we didn't introduce her as a character yet. Her essential role will be based off of Mrs. Potts. We're trying to decide between making her an actual tea pot or a human. So the question is: Which one should she be? Thanks for reading and we'd love to hear from you~!**

**-Bee & Jay.**

**Words & Phrases:**

**Je suis desolé, mon ami. - I am sorry, my friend.**

**Comment vas-tu aujourd'hui? - How are you today?**

**Buongiorno. - Good morning.**

**Hola. - Hello/Hi.**

**Ciao. - Hello/Hi (also goodbye, but for our story that's not the case).**

**Fretello. - Brother.**

**In Italy, boiled eggs is a dish made for children. In a sense, Feli insulted Alfred but meant no harm by it. **

**Que? - What?**

**Si. - Yes.**

**Bonjour! - Good morning!**

**Votre fils. - Your son.**

**C'est vrai. - It is true/That's right.**

**D'accord. - Okay.**


End file.
